US State Department issues 'Crimean Declaration': what is it about and the reaction of the world

The US State Department issued a formal declaration on the Crimea, in which it indicated that it did not recognize the annexation of the peninsula by Russia.

Photo: facebook.com/WhiteHouse

This document was released on Wednesday 25 July, reports Voice of America.

The US government itself equates the “Crimean Declaration” with the Welles Declaration in 1940, which condemned the occupation of the Baltic countries by the USSR and cemented America’s non-recognition of their annexation. The Welles Declaration, promulgated by then US Secretary of State Sumner Welles, initiated a policy of non-recognition of the annexation of the Baltic states, which continued until their independence.

The document notes that the United States is now noting the policy of not recognizing Kremlin statements about sovereign law in respect of territories seized by force in violation of international law.

In the declaration, the United States calls on Russia to respect the principles that it has itself been adhering to for a long time, and to end the occupation of the Crimea.

The document itself is published on Online Foreign Office.

Full translation of the declaration published on withSee the US Embassy in Russia.

By invading Ukraine in 2014 and attempting to annex Crimea, Russia sought to undermine the main international principle shared by democratic states: no country can change the borders of another country by force. The nations of the world, including Russia, agreed on this principle in the Charter of the United Nations, pledging to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. This fundamental principle — which was affirmed in the Helsinki Final Act — is one of the foundations on which our common security rests.

As we did in the Welnes Declaration in 1940, the United States reaffirms that their political course is to refuse to recognize the Kremlin’s claims to sovereignty over territory seized by force in violation of international law. Together with allies, partners and the international community, the United States rejects the attempt to annex Crimea to Russia and pledges to pursue this policy until the territorial integrity of Ukraine is restored.

The United States urges Russia to respect the principles that it, according to the Russian authorities, has long adhered to, and end the occupation of the Crimea. While democracies seek to build a free, fair and prosperous world, we must maintain our commitment to the international principle of sovereign equality and respect for the territorial integrity of other states. Russia's actions are not worthy of a great country, and they isolate it from the international community.

Russian Foreign Ministry commented on the declaration of Pompeo on the non-recognition of the annexation of the Crimea

The Russian Foreign Ministry immediately dismissed Pompeo's comments. “We know the value of these “fateful declarations,” wrote a Foreign Ministry representative on her Facebook page.

Britain, Germany and Poland supported the "Crimean Declaration" of the United States

The governments of Great Britain, Germany and Poland supported the declaration of non-recognition of the Russian annexation of Crimea proclaimed by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, writes “Radio Liberty«.

The UK government said in a statement that London "reiterates the United States' statement of opposition to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea."

“The UK's position is clear: we condemn Russia's ongoing violation of international law; Crimea is the territory of Ukraine,” the message says.

The government of Theresa May noted that they are concerned about the violation of human rights in the Crimea and called on Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland on its official page posted a statement in which it reminded Russia of the Budapest memorandum 1994 on Ukraine’s security assurances. Warsaw stated that it would maintain the position of not recognizing the annexation of Crimea until the restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

In addition, the Polish Foreign Ministry recalled human rights violations on the peninsula and called on Russia to “stop the occupation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.”

At the same time, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that “the annexation of Crimea is contrary to international law.”

“We will clearly emphasize this again and again and will not conduct business as usual (with Russia - KR), no matter how long this (annexation - KR) continues,” Maas said in a statement on Twitter.

Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, said Wednesday that the American president would postpone his second meeting with Putin until next year, when a federal investigation into Russia's interference in the US presidential election is over.

Trump said last week that he would invite Putin to Washington for talks in the fall, provoking a new wave of discontent, including from party members who consider Putin to be an adversary unworthy of a visit to the White House.

Read also on ForumDaily:

A new blow to the oligarchs of Putin: in the United States will introduce reinforced sanctions

Fox News presenter after an interview with Putin went to rest in Russia

Balcony overlooking the Kremlin: how Donald Trump visited the USSR

'Spy, get out': five high-profile stories exposing Russian spies in the US

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.