US Ambassador to the UN called on the EU not to lift sanctions against Russia
UN may 9 — RIA Novosti, Olga Denisova. US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley said at a meeting of the Security Council of the world organization that urged the EU to keep sanctions against Russia.
“Ukraine is another area where we work effectively together. The European Union has played an important role in bringing Russia to account for its actions in Ukraine. The US and the EU should remain United in the intention to keep the sanctions in force until Moscow will not fully respect the obligations of the Minsk agreements”, — she said at the meeting on Tuesday.
In his first speech to the UN Security Council February 3 (Haley led the U.S. permanent mission to the UN in January 2017), it condemned “Russia’s aggressive actions” in Ukraine and said that Crimea-related US sanctions will remain in effect “until Russia will regain control over the Peninsula to Ukraine.”
Crimea became a Russian region after held there in March 2014 referendum in which 96.77% of voters of the Republic of Crimea and 95.6% of residents of Sevastopol voted for joining Russian Federation. Crimean authorities held a referendum after a coup in Ukraine in February 2014. Ukraine still considers Crimea its but temporarily occupied territory. The Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the inhabitants of Crimea democratically in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter voted for reunification with Russia. According to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the Crimea issue “is closed permanently.”