MOSCOW. June 14 (Interfax) - The Kremlin has said that Crimea is a Russian territory, and its lease has never been discussed.
Reporters asked Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday whether the draft of the Istanbul agreement between Russia and Ukraine contained provisions on Crimea, including the matter of the peninsula's lease.
"No, it's not true. Crimea is an integral part of Russia, it's a Russian region," Peskov told reporters.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said earlier on Wednesday that the draft treaty on the cessation of hostilities discussed by the delegations of Russia and Ukraine in the spring of 2022 in Istanbul envisaged agreements on Crimea and Donbass. Lukashenko said that the agreements, in particular, dealt with a long-term lease of Crimea.