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The exact terms of his plan have not been published, but reports suggest it would include the US recognising Crimea as a legal part of Russia - de jure in Latin.

It would also recognise Crimea – which was annexed illegally by Russia in 2014 – as de jure Russian territory.

“I don’t think that Lai is actually going to pursue de jure independence,” said David Sacks, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who studies Taiwan.

At that point, the two nations are, de facto if not de jure, at war.

The tell in West's remarks was calling the U.S. an empire but referring to Russia by its de jure name, implicitly erasing its imperial, colonial character.