Walker on the status of Crimea: a long period of disagreement with Russia

The representative of the USA on Ukraine Kurt Volker said that the United States does not recognize Russia’s takeover of Crimea. He said this in an interview with Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy.

“We do not recognize the annexation of the Crimea by Russia, it declared the annexation. Fortunately, in the Crimea is not conducted active military operations, as in the Donbass, so we need to focus on solving problems in places where there are fights. Minsk agreements allow for this, we just need to see that the provisions of the Treaty are met, which we until not seen. With Crimea, I think we have a long period of disagreement over its status,” said Walker.

Answering the question will remain whether the sanctions, if Russia will take troops and weapons from the Donbass, but will not return Crimea to Ukraine, Walker said: “Sanctions, both European and American, belong to different categories. There are sanctions imposed for the annexation of the Crimea. There are sanctions imposed after the invasion of Donbass. There are sanctions under the Magnitsky Act. There are sanctions for Russia’s intervention in the American elections. And it’s all different groups of sanctions.”

According to him, the most severe sanctions were imposed on Russia for violating the Minsk agreements.

“And if Russia withdrew from the Donbas, the provisions of the Minsk agreements was applied, and we would see the restoration of the sovereignty of Ukraine, then the sanctions would be lifted,” said Walker.

He believes that the issue that could compel the occupants to leave the Donbass and Crimea back to Ukraine, “Russia needs to reconsider and take a new place in the context of the European security architecture”.

“As for Donbass, it is easier. Russia has already stated that in the framework of the Minsk agreements, it will sooner or later agree to return to Ukraine’s sovereignty over its territories. So it’s a question of how to get from one point to another. And this question is not change the stated position of Russia and of finding a way of turning this position into reality,” explained Walker.

The representative of the USA concerning Ukraine added that this path has not yet been found.

August 31 Volker saidthat there is no fundamental difference between the Russian seizure of the Crimean Peninsula and the occupation of the Donbass no.

Russia has occupied the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in 2014 year. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine officially declared on 20 February 2014 beginning of the temporary occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia. Key international organizations, including the UN General Assembly has condemned Russia’s actions and called the annexation and occupation of Crimea illegal. Against Russia were imposed economic sanctions. For the implementation by Moscow of the so-called elections with the participation of the Crimea in 2016-m to year the Parliament of Ukraine recognized the Russian state Duma is illegitimate.

See also: Walker on Monday, would Like to see peace in Ukraine to 2018

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