Gorbachev: West has accepted Crimea as part of Russia

Yes, the west has accepted that, just like Serbia has accepted that Kosovo is independent: I.e. accepting the reality on the ground, but refusing the legality of those split offs.

Gorbachev added that "the historic referendum" had corrected the mistake of the Soviet era, "and their will should not be punished by sanctions."

Some Albanians claim that an independent Kosovo has corrected the mistake in the beginning of the last century when state borders were determined.

P.S: What about the will of the people in Chechnya? I think the people there (and their will) would have been happy to only be 'punished by sanctions' instead of being killed by the Russian army in the 90s. Another place where the mistakes of the soviet era could have been corrected.

Yes, the west has accepted that, just like Serbia has accepted that Kosovo is independent: I.e. accepting the reality on the ground, but refusing the legality of those split offs.

Gorbachev added that "the historic referendum" had corrected the mistake of the Soviet era, "and their will should not be punished by sanctions."

Some Albanians claim that an independent Kosovo has corrected the mistake in the beginning of the last century when state borders were determined.

P.S: What about the will of the people in Chechnya? I think the people there (and their will) would have been happy to only be 'punished by sanctions' instead of being killed by the Russian army in the 90s. Another place where the mistakes of the soviet era could have been corrected.