Ukraine NSDC approves strategy doc for de-occupying Crimea

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine
(NSDC) announced on Facebook on March 11 that it had adopted a strategy
document regarding Crimea. NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov stated that this is
the first fundamental document in this direction published by the Ukrainian
government, and was over a year in the making. Danilov claimed that the
document would be made publicly available and translated into English in order
to share it with the Ukrainian people and foreign partners.

James Hydzik: The NSDC’s
move comes at a complicated moment for the Ukrainian government. On the one
hand, the Ukrainian military has been on maritime maneuvers with NATO, and in
press conferences, the civilian government, military leadership and NATO have
been pushing the message of increased and intensified cooperation.

On the other, there are embarrassing issues such as
American sanctions against billionaire Ihor Kolomoiskyi. Moreover, there is the
upcoming film from Bellingcat regarding, among other revelations, the existence
of a high-level Russian mole in President Zelensky’s administration. And
against these issues lies the NSDC-led moves against pro-Russian media owned by
Viktor Medvedchuk.

In this environment, the strategy paper is more
than a set of daydreams. Under President Zelensky, this NSDC created a document
that, once it is published, can actually be used as a springboard for
discussion regarding the myriad of problems that a Ukrainian government facing
the reintegration of Crimea will have to handle.