On Thursday, February 25, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the seizure of Crimea in 2014 was a blatant insult to the modern international order. He stressed that US sanctions against Russia will remain in force until the Russian Federation changes course.
“The United States and Ukraine are celebrating the seventh anniversary of Russia's invasion and seizure of Crimea – a blatant insult to the modern international order. We reaffirm this basic truth: Crimea is Ukraine”,- the statement said.
The United States calls on Russia to immediately end its occupation of Crimea, release all Ukrainian political prisoners it is unfairly holding, and return full control of the peninsula to Ukraine.
“US sanctions against Russia in response to its aggression in eastern Ukraine and the seizure of Crimea will remain in effect until Russia changes course. The United States does not and will never recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea,”,- Blinken added.