On May 18, 2006, the 62nd anniversary of the 1944 Crimean Tatar Exile, it commenced its broadcasting operations in Akmescit*. It provides its audience with news from the Crimea, Ukraine, and the diaspora in Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian, and English**. What’s more, it offers its services to professional organisations, banks, universities, foreign missions, public institutions and organisations, non-governmental organisations, international organisations, and professional organisations that closely monitor Ukraine and Crimea. Yes, I am talking about the Crimean News Agency (QHA). One of the founders of the agency, journalist İsmet Yüksel, responded to my inquiries regarding the dual citizenship law proposed by Ukrainian President V. Zelensky to the parliament, Russian propaganda, and the potential ramifications of a Trump victory on U.S. policy towards Ukraine. Excerpts.
ÖZELGÜN: How would you assess the dual citizenship legislation that Zelensky presented to the parliament?
YÜKSEL: Dual citizenship is an absolutely essential issue for Ukraine and has been on Kiev’s agenda for years. The matter was raised numerous times prior to the occupation of Crimea. However, the matter got longer and longer with the war declaration and the invasion of Crimea. There are also people who are Ukrainian but did not get citizenship. These people’s grandparents somehow went back to the Soviet Union or before the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. People have moved to Ukraine to live. However, they cannot get Ukrainian citizenship in any way, and they cannot enter politics. Because dual citizenship is not recognised by Ukrainian law. However, Russia’s distribution of numerous citizenships has always posed the greatest threat to Ukraine. This was being done for political purposes and gain. Many people living in Sevastopol were granted Russian citizenship by Russia prior to 2014. Obtaining these passports was quite easy; anyone who wished to could do so; anyone could get them if they so wanted. Russia afterwards articulated that our citizens in Crimea are being persecuted and the Russian language is currently under pressure, and it occupied Crimea under the pretext that we were protecting our own citizens. A dual citizenship law has not yet been passed in Ukraine to prevent these pressures. It has notably prolonged it, and it has come to this day. If it is enacted, many possibilities will probably be provided. This is a vital matter for the Crimean Tatar diaspora residing in Turkey and other countries as well. Crimea is an integral element of Ukraine and is presently situated within its borders. The grandchildren of people whose ancestors migrated from Crimea due to Russian oppression are automatically counted as members of the Ukrainian diaspora. At this time, applications are being accepted via the association in Crimea and Turkey. First, they are given a diaspora identity. If the citizenship law is enacted, the first people to get it will be those who obtain that diaspora ID.
ÖZELGÜN: If we examine it through a demographic lens…
YÜKSEL: A portion of the Ukrainian populace emigrated to Europe in the aftermath of the invasion. The number of individuals who will return and the number that will not is unclear. There is also this population problem in Ukraine. This is a significant law, at least in terms of achieving balance.
ÖZELGÜN: What will happen to those who are Ukrainian and also have Russian citizenship?
YÜKSEL: This is one of the agenda items that were deliberated upon. From a humanitarian standpoint, not all Russian citizens residing in Ukraine are adversaries of Ukraine. At least they got married there, and there are mixed marriages. They are profoundly disturbed by the inhumane actions carried out by Russia. Kiev will therefore devise a solution to these issues with this in mind. They do not revoke their Ukrainian citizenship. I believe that after conducting an investigation, the Ukrainian intelligence agency will reinstate their citizenship.
ÖZELGÜN: Are we confronting a more organised form of propaganda, or does Putin have a Goebbels?
YÜKSEL: Putin’s state policy does not need a Goebells, this is the state’s policy. All of them, from the Russian military intelligence to the Council of Ministers, are Putin’s Goebells. So not one. There are maybe hundreds of thousands. I want to give a simple example. Consider the Russian plane that was shot down recently. Here, Russia says that 74 people died, that Ukraine shot it down, and that the plane brought 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers, right? There is a point that is unclear. There is Russian propaganda here. Why are there only two dead emerging from the wreckage if 74 people died? Where are the rest? If you watch the plane falling, you will see the packages thrown there.
ÖZELGÜN: What impact may a Trump victory in the US elections have on Washington’s policy to Ukraine?
YÜKSEL: In America, support for Ukraine is a state policy. They are well aware that if they push Ukraine aside, they will be confronted by an expansionist and aggressive Russia. That’s why Ukraine is so significant to them. I believe the US will continue to support Ukraine, regardless of the victor. Prior elections, as you are aware, were rife with rumours. There were rumours suggesting that Trump became president with Putin’s help. However, following his inauguration as president, Trump aided Ukraine in numerous ways and did not cut off aid. This is the situation in elections across the globe. One may say, “I will do this; this will happen; this will not happen,” but everything can change after he/she comes to power. I think that after Trump comes to power, he does not have the luxury of alienating Ukraine so easily and not helping.
ÖZELGÜN: Given the strong isolationist tradition in the US, I posed this question…
YÜKSEL: As I stated above, this is Trump’s election propaganda. This does not occur easily. Because, in addition to the president, there are senators in the US. There is the Senate that can at all times obstruct the president. The incumbent president cannot operate this easily. Every state, without exception, has its own policies and state interests. It is my belief that acting against these state interests would be more difficult to enforce, even if you were the president of the US.
References
*https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C4%B1r%C4%B1m_Haber_Ajans%C4%B1#cite_ref-6
Weltschau 
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