On Thursday, February 11, at the OSCE meeting in Vienna, Deputy Head of the US Mission to the OSCE Courtney Austrian said that US sanctions against the Russian Federation will remain in effect until Russia returns full control of the peninsula to Ukraine. The press service of the department reported about this.
“We do not and will never recognize the annexation of Crimea by Russia. We join our European and other partners in stating that our Minsk-related sanctions against Russia will remain in effect until it fully complies with its Minsk commitments. The sanctions for the annexation of Crimea will be in effect until Russia returns full control over the peninsula to Ukraine’,- the message said.
In addition, Austrian called on Russia to release all political prisoners, immediately end the occupation of Crimea and withdraw its forces and military equipment from the east of Ukraine.