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WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday the United States will never recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea and its claims to lawmakers and others that President Donald Trump and his administration are being soft on Russia.
In a statement titled "Crimea Declaration," Pompeo said the US will continue to insist that Ukraine's territorial integrity be restored. He said the U.S. would hold to its long-standing principle of refusing to recognize Kremlin claims of sovereignty over territory. And he called for Russia to respect the principles of claims and respect for the "end of occupation of Crimea."
"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 is being restored to the public, "Pompeo said in the declaration, which was released by the State Department shortly before it was submitted to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Pompeo is expected to face tough questioning from committee members Trump's summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Trump has predicted that US opposition to Russia's annexation of Crimea could be reconsidered.
In anticipation of potentially hostile issues, the Crimea Declaration sought to underscored US commitments to the post-World War II international order that many believe Trump has weakened.
In it, Pompeo took Russia to task for it actions in Ukraine, particularly the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Russia has defended its move, saying the annexation was approved by Crimean voters in a referendum. The US and its European allies have been declared to be in the public domain by the United States of America.
"Through its actions, Russia has acted in a manner unworthy of "Pompeo was taking a tough line on Russia and defending the Trump-Putin meeting of the international community"
In an interview transcript released ahead of the Crimea statement, Pompeo said Trump and Putin "did not find much place to agree" on Ukraine when they put in Finland last week. He said that he was reiterated in the United States of America. He also reiterated US support for an investigation that held Russia responsible for downing a Malaysian airliner over east Ukraine in 2014 "Pompeo said what the Russians did was" deeply immoral "and that those responsible for the MH17 disaster should be held accountable.
Pompeo made the comments in a Tuesday interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in California, where he and Defense Secretary James Mattis co-hosted meetings this week with their Australian counterparts. The interview was a likely preview of its Senate testimony, which comes as lawmakers are seeking answers to the two leaders in Helsinki. The White House and State Department have been vague when
In the interview, Pompeo admits that he was not in the room when Trump and Putin put it forward for only two weeks in the Finnish capital. But, he said he had a "good understanding" of what he took place on a meeting with Sergey Lavrov.
"It was an incredibly constructive engagement for President Trump and President Putin, an important one for the world, "Pompeo said. "These are two nuclear superpowers." (19659002) On Ukraine, Pompeo said, "They are two nuclear superpowers, they should be engaged in conversations, and they have a wide range of topics.
"The president was strong in making sure that the world understood that the Minsk path is the right path forward," he said. Asked about MH17, in which dozens of Australian pbadengers were killed, Pompeo called it "a real tragedy."
"What the Russians did there is deeply immoral," he said. "There must be accountability."
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