Crimea should be recognized part of Russian territory, German politician says

The head of the German-Russian Forum Matthias Platzeck urged the West to demonstrate compliance and recognize the Crimea a part of the Russian territory, to resolve its accession under international law post factum, Russia Today reports citing German media. In his opinion, it is better to have an agreement with Putin than obtain a political unstable nuclear power in the face of Russia, German publication Die Zeit wrote.

"The annexation of the Crimea should be resolved legally post factum in a way acceptable to all," said the former prime minister of the federal state of Brandenburg in an interview with Passauer Neue Presse.

According to the politician, there are different possibilities for that, including financial payments, holding a referendum repeatedly, under the supervision of the OSCE, and so on. This must be agreed between Moscow and Kiev," said Platzeck.

According to Die Zeit, the areas in the east of Ukraine that remain under the control of the militia, are also unlikely to return to Ukraine. "At the moment, one can hardly imagine that after all that has happened, Donetsk and Luhansk could simply return to the structure of the Ukrainian state," the German politician said.

To crown it all, Matthias Platzeck urged the West to show greater flexibility in relation to Russia and its president Vladimir Putin.

"If Russia, being the second-largest nuclear power in the world, is politically unstable, it may have unpredictable consequences. It would be extremely dangerous," said the former chairman of the SPD.