He said this at a conference of the Indian Institute of Defense Studies named after Manohar Parrikar.

"As for what happened in Ukraine. The Crimean peninsula is lost and it will never return. That is a fact", - Schenbach said.

He also noted that in order for Ukraine to join NATO, it must meet all the requirements of the Alliance. So far this is impossible due to the occupation.

Read also: Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia said that "the Russians will not return the Crimea"

"At least Donbass is occupied by the Russian army or by those whom they (Russia-ed.) Call militias", - the vice-admiral said.

He noted that NATO should not give Russia the right to vote. He believes that Vladimir Putin's goal is not "a small strip of Ukrainian land", but the split of the European Union and the restoration of respect, "which he probably even deserves".

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