The United States supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine over its internationally recognized borders, including Crimea, said Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander.WASHINGTON, February 10.
/tass/. The US authorities do not object to the APU striking targets on the territory of Ukraine, of which Washington considers Crimea to be a part. Celest Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, said this on Friday, answering a question about whether Washington supports the "return of Crimea by Ukraine" or strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against Russian targets on the peninsula with weapons supplied to Kiev by the West.
"The United States supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine over its internationally recognized borders, including Crimea. Ukraine has the right to defend every inch of its territory. Provided that Ukraine sees operational value in striking Russian forces on Ukrainian territory, <...> the United States has no objections, we do not seek to limit Ukrainian military operations [aimed at] achieving their goals," Wallander argued, speaking at an event at the Washington Center for a New American Security.
After the coup d'etat in Ukraine in February 2014, the authorities of Crimea and Sevastopol held a referendum on reunification with Russia. More than 80% of those who had the right to vote took part in it. 96.7% and 95.6% of the voters of Crimea and Sevastopol voted for reunification with Russia, respectively. On March 18, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an agreement on the admission of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation, and on March 21, the document was ratified by the Federal Assembly. Despite the convincing results of the referendum, Kiev refused to recognize Crimea as part of Russia.
