US urges Russia to end occupation of Ukraine's Crimea

ANKARA

The U.S. will never recognize Russian claims to sovereignty over Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, according to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

"February 27 will mark the sixth anniversary of Russia’s attempted annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, and the United States reaffirms: Crimea is Ukraine," said Pompeo in a statement late Wednesday.

"As underscored in our July 2018 Crimea Declaration, the United States does not and will not ever recognize Russia’s claims of sovereignty over the peninsula. We call on Russia to end its occupation of Crimea," he added.

In an official state visit in February, Turkey also underlined that it does not recognize Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.

Turkey's support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will continue, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a joint news conference alongside his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

Turkey is “closely” monitoring the situation of Crimea’s Tatar Turks and will continue supporting them with Ukrainian authorities, he added.

Zelensky, for his part, said his country is grateful for the military and financial assistance from Turkey.

Crimea's ethnic Tatars have faced persecution since Russia’s 2014 takeover of the peninsula, a situation Turkey has decried.

Russia and Ukraine have been at loggerheads since Russia annexed Crimea after a controversial referendum.

The U.S. and Turkey, as well as the UN General Assembly, viewed the move as illegal.

Ukraine has also blamed the Kremlin for separatist violence in Donbass, in the country's east, near its border with Russia, which has claimed some 13,000 lives.