MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. Alexander Merezhko, head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, called statements by US special envoy Steven Witkoff on the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict outrageous.

On Friday, Witkoff made some important statements about Ukraine in an interview with journalist Tucker Carlson. According to him, Kiev agreed to hold presidential elections, and Vladimir Zelensky and the head of his office Andrey Yermak largely recognized that Ukraine would not become a NATO member. The special envoy also said that the main issue in the Ukrainian conflict remains the status of Crimea, Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions.

"To be honest, these are shocking statements. Let's call a spade a spade - these are just shocking and disgraceful statements. I do not know what the issue is - superficiality, naivety, lack of expertise. But this is a representative of the president, who must understand the issue professionally and know the basic facts," Merezhko told Radio Liberty (recognized in Russia as a foreign media agent and included in the register of undesirable organizations).

"Witkoff says in the same interview that he represents the interests of [US President Donald] Trump, expresses his point of view. And it's very unsafe. President Trump should reject these statements, because they contradict, first of all, the US policy," he continued.

"Of course, we cannot dictate to our American friends who should represent them. But this person should be removed from the delegation, he cannot be a representative of the president."

The Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions became part of Russia after referendums held there in 2022. Crimea and Sevastopol returned to Russia after a March 2014 referendum held against the backdrop of a coup in Ukraine. More than 80% of the peninsula's eligible voters took part in the referendum, 96.7% of Crimean residents and 95.6% of Sevastopol residents supported reunification with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told the top officials of the Foreign Ministry in 2024 that Moscow was ready to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, recognizing the status of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions as Russian subjects.