Comment of Ambassador of Ukraine to the U.S. Olexander Motsyk on the situation in Ukraine • The so-called “referendum” of March 16th 2014 was a political farce orchestrated by Russia – lacking in political legitimacy, conducted in a gross violation of fundamental international laws. • Neither Ukraine nor the international community has recognized this travesty of plebiscite. • We appreciate the strong position of the United States clearly expressed by President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, State Secretary John Kerry, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and many other representatives of U.S. Government, Senators and Members of Congress, American citizens, including Ukrainian Americans, supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, condemning the Russian aggression and rejecting the sham referendum as a pretext to seize a part of Ukraine’s territory. • Ukraine will be unrelenting in pursuit of restoring Crimea’s legitimate status as integral part of Ukraine. • Most observers who participated in this farce represent marginal left and right wing forces. Especially striking was participation of Europe’s neo-Nazi, deeply anti-Semitic politicians. This once again negates the whole premise of the “referendum” as anti-fascist backlash on events in Ukraine. • Any step recognizing or legitimizing the “referendum” will be seen by Ukraine as a deeply unfriendly move and will cause severe repercussions on bilateral level. • Ukraine is deeply and painfully aware of the fact that Russia’s aggression brought the world on a brink of a fatal conflict. • There are indications that Russia is on its way to unleash a full-blown military intervention in Ukraine’s East and South. Moscow is using its incomparable edge in military force and its nuclear status, violating the assurances given to Ukraine in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum and stumping on the Ukraine-Russia Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation. • There are confirmed reports of Russian citizens participating in attacks on administration buildings in Eastern Ukraine. • The world needs to help Ukraine in the face of this blatant aggression. We urge the nations of the world not to be silent, to distance themselves from this act of aggression.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:47:09 +0000
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