As a student at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Political Science and Russian and Eastern European Studies, there was a real-world application assignment where we analyzed what it would take for Russia to abandon its occupation of Crimea. We discussed imposing sanctions, theorized about freezing assets, and discussed several other geopolitical resolutions. Ultimately, we acknowledged there was only one way it would happen: by military force through war. This is important to remember, given current events and subsequent performative outrage over recognizing who controls Crimea.
The recent revelation that, allegedly, part of the proposed peace deal brokered by the U.S. in the war between Russia and Ukraine involves the U.S. recognizing Crimea as Russian territory has drawn considerable criticism. Many have rushed to claim that doing so advances Russian talking points and interests. Naturally, opponents have once again used this to argue that President Donald Trump is doing Russia’s bidding and are outraged at the notion of Crimea being recognized as Russian territory.
But if they are outraged at this, then they should blame those responsible for allowing Russia to seize the Crimean peninsula: former President Barack Obama, then-Vice President Joe Biden, NATO leaders at the time, and European Union leaders at the time.
For all the talk of Ukraine’s right to sovereignty, which it does have, and the importance of protecting democracy, none of that seemed to exist in 2014. If there is outrage over Russia occupying Crimea, then blame the people who allowed it to happen, not Trump. It’s been 11 years since Russia took control of the area and did so with minimal resistance. Moreover, Russia has been fighting a war with Ukraine, and a de facto war with NATO, for over three years. During this time, Russia has not lost enough battles to be forced to return the territory.
Is it morally wrong that the Crimean Peninsula is under Russian control? Yes, absolutely. Are Putin’s claims for why Russia should control Crimea valid? No, not at all. Should Ukraine accept Russia’s authority over Crimea? No. Should we want to live in a world where Crimea is returned to Ukraine? Yes.
However, the reality of the situation is that Russia controls it, and nothing has made them give up control of it in 11 years. So, as a realist, why, in a peace agreement for a war that Russia is winning — and most likely eventually will win unless NATO countries put boots on the ground and engage in a full-out war — would Crimea not be recognized as Russian territory?
Objectively speaking, at some point, unless Russia is forced out of Crimea or decides to abandon occupying it and return it to Ukraine, the world is going to have to realize it belongs to Russia now. Again, there is a way not to have Russia control Crimea, but no country or alliance is willing to do what is necessary. Again, the blame for this belongs to the world leaders in 2014 when this happened, not those who inherited this mess in 2025.
Oleksandr Turchynov, who was Ukraine’s interim president when Russia conquered Crimea, highlighted this inconvenient truth during a recent interview.
“I turned to our partners, including the United States of America and the leaders of the European Union, for help, referring to the Budapest Memorandum, that Ukraine had given up nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees from them,” Turchynov said. “But they told me explicitly that there would be no military help.”
“Both the Obama administration and European leaders told me that they were categorically against the supply of any weapons to Ukraine,” Turchynov added. “And they justified this to me by saying that they do not want to provoke Putin and increase the risk of Russian aggression.”
But all of this is somehow Trump’s fault? Because people are upset that Trump doesn’t want to engage in semantics? This is unserious and disingenuous outrage. It’s been 11 years. Including Turchynov’s time in office, there have been three Ukrainian presidential administrations. There have been three presidents of the European Union. There have been two NATO secretaries-general, though former Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held the position from October 2014 to October 2024.
Everyone recognizes that Russia, and more specifically, Russian President Vladimir Putin, is the villain. However, no one, except Ukraine, obviously, is willing to do what is necessary to return Crimea to Ukraine. So, after two wars between Russia and Ukraine, numerous sanctions, and essentially every passive-aggressive geopolitical action the entire world could take against Russia has not worked, the world is just supposed not to acknowledge the reality? That doesn’t make any sense.
THE LEFT IS BACK IN RESISTANCE MODE
Trump is being pragmatic. Unless there is some secret plan being forged that involves NATO countries joining Ukraine to fight Russia, all the refusals to recognize Crimea as Russian will not change anything. No amount of semantics or map illustrations showing Crimea as part of Ukraine will change the reality of it being part of Russia. The entire world knows what must be done to change this. Yet, despite their outrage, their condemnations, their criticisms, and their wagging of fingers at Russia, they don’t want to do what is necessary.
Russia’s occupation of Crimea is wrong. It is immoral. It should not have happened. I don’t want it to happen, and I venture to say most people feel that way worldwide. However, these sentiments don’t change the facts or alter reality. Moreover, as for blame, the world leaders who failed Ukraine and created this tragic and unfortunate reality were Obama, Biden, NATO, and the EU, not Trump. Blame them.