US to continue sanctions on Russia until Crimea remains ‘occupied’

The United States has vowed to continue with anti-Russia sanctions as long as the Crimean Peninsula remains under the rule of Moscow.

Tensions between the Western powers and Moscow heightened after Crimea declared independence from Ukraine and formally applied to become part of the Russian Federation following a referendum on March 16, 2014 in which nearly 97 percent of voters in Crimea chose to rejoin Russia.

In a Monday statement, US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki called on the Kremlin to end what she called the occupation of the peninsula, describing the vote as “sham”.

"On this one-year anniversary of the sham 'referendum' in Crimea, held in clear violation of Ukrainian law and the Ukrainian constitution, the United States reiterates its condemnation of a vote that was not voluntary, transparent, or democratic," Psaki said.

Meanwhile, three days of festivities began in Crimea to mark the anniversary of the referendum.

Psaki reiterated Washington’s stance, saying Russia used military forces to “forcibly seize and occupy Crimea, sovereign Ukrainian territory, and then staged an illegal so-called referendum in a feeble attempt to justify its actions."

She further accused Moscow of “repression on a mass scale” in Crimea and marginalization of “non-Russian minorities, including the Crimean tatars”.

On March 21, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law documents that officially made the Black Sea peninsula part of the Russian territory despite condemnation from the West and the new Ukrainian government.

The move sparked angry reactions from the US and the European Union, both imposing punitive measures against a number of Russian officials and authorities in Crimea.

NT/NT

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir