“The Ukrainians have already voted”: kyiv responds sharply to Jean-Luc Mélenchon after his comments on Donbass

kyiv recalled on Monday that Ukrainians had voted massively for the independence of Ukraine in 1991, “including Donbass”, in a scathing response to the words of the leader of the French radical left Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

The French presidential candidate said on Saturday that the resolution of the war in Ukraine could involve territorial concessions, particularly in the eastern region of Donbass largely occupied by the Russians where, according to him, the population must be consulted.

“Mr. Mélenchon, the Ukrainians have already resolved the question of the borders of their country,” declared on X the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Georgii Tykhy. “In the 1991 national referendum, more than 90% of voters supported Ukraine's independence within its current internationally recognized borders. A majority voted “yes” in all regions, including Donbass (83%),” he stressed. The leader of France Insoumise, given by numerous polls to qualify for the second round of the presidential election, assured that he would engage “frankly in the settlement of the Russian invasion in Ukraine”.

“We do not accept that we envisage a peace with territorial concessions in Ukraine without asking the populations concerned if they agree to be on this side of the border or the other,” declared Jean-Luc Mélenchon. He mentioned in particular the inhabitants of Donbass. The population of this region “has the right to know if they want to be Ukrainian or Russian, if the question is asked,” said Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Russia, which annexed the Ukrainian Crimean peninsula in 2014, claims the annexation of four new Ukrainian regions, including the two constituting Donbass, the complete conquest of which remains a major objective of its massive invasion of Ukraine, launched in 2022.

According to AFP archives at the time citing the independent Profinform agency and official preliminary results, the “yes” to independence won by more than 90% with an overwhelming score in all regions and a participation of more than 80%.

American-mediated discussions between kyiv and Moscow are to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi to relaunch diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict, the deadliest in Europe since 1945.