In July 2017, in an interview with Echo of Moscow radio station, Alexei Navalny said that if elected Russian president, he would provide a "fair referendum" in the occupied Crimea and try to involve Ukraine and the EU. He was not if favour of returning Crimea to Ukraine.

"As president, I can guarantee one thing - that I will hold a fair referendum there, I will try to normalize the situation. We will try to involve Ukraine in this referendum and in the tripartite commissions together with the European Union. Honestly, if not cunning, I doubt that Ukraine recognizes this referendum", - Navalny said. "There are two million people with Russian passports. That is already some incomprehensible forcemeat. You can't turn this stuffing back. Therefore, there is no simple solution to the Crimean problem", - he said.