Trump Adviser Bryan Lanza Says "Crimea Is Gone," U.S. Focus Is Peace in Ukraine

Nov 9, 2024, 03:00 PM

Bryan Lanza, a Republican strategist and senior adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, stated in an interview with the BBC that the incoming administration will focus on achieving peace in Ukraine rather than enabling the country to regain territory occupied by Russia. Lanza emphasized that efforts to reclaim Crimea are unrealistic, saying, "Crimea is gone." He suggested that if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insists on including Crimea's return as a condition for peace, it would indicate a lack of seriousness about ending the conflict. "When Zelensky says we will only stop this fighting if we have Crimea, he shows to us that he's not serious. Crimea is gone," Lanza said. He indicated that regaining Crimea is "not the goal of the United States" and did not specifically mention areas of eastern Ukraine. Lanza, who has been a political adviser to Trump since his 2016 campaign, signaled a shift in U.S. policy priorities toward facilitating negotiations to conclude the war rather than supporting Ukraine's territorial claims over regions annexed by Russia.