Mike Pompeo: USA Will Never Recognize the Crimea a Russian Territory

On the day of anniversary of the Crimean Peninsula annexation by Russia, the US State Secretary said that for America, Crimea is Ukraine The United States will never recognize Russian claims to consider Ukrainian Crimea the sovereign territory of Russia and urge Moscow to end its occupation of the peninsula. This stated US State Secretary Mike Pompeo in an appeal, which was published by the State Department on February 27, on the sixth anniversary of the Crimean Peninsula’s annexation to Russia. “The Russian occupation of Crimea and the increasing militarization of the peninsula are a threat to our common security. The Russian occupation authorities continue to violate human rights and fundamental freedoms, brutally suppressing critics from civil society, the media and restricting religious freedom,” Mike Pompeo said. The State Secretary said that the United States is calling on Russia to release all Ukrainians illegally imprisoned for their peaceful protest and put an end to violations of fundamental civil liberties in Crimea. “For six years, Russia has continued to rely on lies and misinformation in its failed attempt to legitimize lawlessness. Its efforts are doomed to failure. The world will never forget Russia's causeless invasion in Ukraine. The United States condemns Russia's illegal actions in Crimea and the ongoing aggressive actions against Ukraine, including in the Donbass and will support sanctions against Russia until it regains control of Crimea in Ukraine and completely fulfills its obligations under the Minsk agreements,” - said in a statement Pompeo.