News - Middle East: France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy has suggested Russia's ongoing military operation against Ukraine could end with new referendums in Russian-speaking territories. 

In an interview with the conservative weekly Le Figaro Magazine on Wednesday, Sarkozy called the war “a failure and a mistake,” and warned of a “frozen conflict” with Russia.
In his view, Sarkozy said the only solution is to hold referendums on territorial concessions in areas occupied by the occupiers.
"The Ukrainians... will want to reconquer what has been unjustly taken from them. But if they can't manage it completely, the choice will be between a frozen conflict... or taking the high road out with referendums strictly overseen by the international community," the former president said.
He proposed holding internationally supervised referendums in eastern Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula.
"An incontestable referendum... will be needed to solidify the current state of affairs," he added.