Right of Reply to the Russian Federation on the Conflict in eastern Ukraine
As delivered by Ambassador James S. Gilmore III
Head of Delegation to the 2019 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting
Warsaw, September 16, 2019
Thank you, Madam Chair.
We wish to exercise our right of reply in response to the statement of the Russian Federation.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine is not internal. It is a conflict that Russia started and continues to drive. This represents a grave violation of the Helsinki Final Act.
The United States fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internally recognized borders, including its territorial waters.
We do not, nor will we ever, recognize Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea. We join our European and other partners in reaffirming our Minsk related sanctions against Russia. They will remain in place until Russia fully implements its Minsk commitments
The separate Crimea related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns full control of the peninsula to Ukraine.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
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