The press statement below was released by the Ukrainian World Congress on July 25.
The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) welcomes the statement issued on 25 July 2018 by United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reaffirming, as policy, the refusal of the United States of America to recognize the occupation by the Russian Federation of Crimea and pledging to maintain this policy until Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored.
In his statement, the U.S. Secretary of State declared:
“Russia, through its 2014 invasion of Ukraine and its attempted annexation of Crimea, sought to undermine a bedrock international principle shared by democratic states: that no country can change the borders of another by force. …
“As we did in the Welles Declaration in 1940, the United States reaffirms as policy its refusal to recognize the Kremlin’s claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force in contravention of international law. In concert with allies, partners and the international community, the United States rejects Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored.
“The United States calls on Russia to respect the principles to which it has long claimed to adhere and to end its occupation of Crimea. As democratic states seek to build a free, just, and prosperous world, we must uphold our commitment to the international principle of sovereign equality and respect the territorial integrity of other states.”
“The Ukrainian World Congress commends the United States and its secretary of state, Mike Pompeo for taking this principled position and urges the international community to echo this renewed call for an end to the occupation of Crimea and the restoration of respect for the territorial integrity of all independent states, including Ukraine, as a foundation of global peace and security,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.