Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has met with President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Michel Platini, the press service of the Ukrainian president has reported.
In particular, Poroshenko said that when returning from the airport, he saw fifty football fans outside the building of the presidential administration who demanded that Crimean clubs not be given away to Russia. "I came up to them and promised to fight to ensure that the Russian championship is not held in Crimea, because this is our land," he said. "Crimea is and will be Ukrainian," he said.
UEFA President Michel Platini said that UEFA had set up a working group on this issue. The permanent dialogue was established between the UEFA president and Honorary President of the Football Federation of Ukraine Hryhoriy Surkis, who also attended the meeting.
According to Platini, the final decision will be made within UEFA's statutory norms at a meeting of the UEFA leadership in Lausanne on December 4.
Poroshenko stressed that it was important for Ukraine to maintain control over football development processes in Crimea. Poroshenko said that it was important for UEFA not to be involved in non-football battles around the peninsula.