“Finally, sanity woke up after so much time after the referendum in 2014,” RIA Novosti quoted Sheremet as saying.
In his opinion, this statement will serve as a signal to the entire West that it is time to "stop political games and recognize the Russian status of Crimea."
The MP noted that the recognition of the Russian status of the peninsula by Western countries is a matter of time.
“I am sure that the Europeans will recognize the territory of Crimea as Russian.
But that's not what matters.
The important thing is that the Crimeans consider themselves citizens of Russia and that Russia considers Crimea to be its integral part,” he concluded.
Earlier, Bild reported that Kai-Achim Schönbach resigned after saying that Crimea would never return to Ukraine.
He later confirmed this.
Schönbach, during a speech in India, said that Crimea would never again become part of Ukraine, and also expressed doubt that Ukraine would become a member of NATO.
He later explained that this was his private opinion.
The German Defense Ministry said they did not share Schönbach's views on Crimea.
The Ambassador of Germany was summoned to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry after the statements of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy.
Crimea became a Russian region after a referendum held there in March 2014, in which the majority of residents voted for reunification with Russia.