White House Says U.S. Still Rejects Russia's Annexation Of Crimea
By RFE/RL
WASHINGTON -- A White House spokeswoman said the United States continues to reject Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula, days after President Donald Trump cast doubt on that position.
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on July 2 that the U.S. sanctions imposed on Moscow following the 2014 annexation would remain until Moscow reversed its decision.
"We do not recognize Russia's attempt to annex Crimea," Sanders said. "We agree to disagree and the sanctions against Russia remain in place until Russia returns the peninsula to the Ukraine."
Sanders' remarks contrast with those of national security adviser John Bolton, who a day earlier suggested that Trump may eventually acknowledge Russia's seizure.
Both comments come as the White House prepares for a major meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, set for Helsinki on July 16.
Trump has repeatedly voiced support for a more conciliatory approach toward Moscow, which has stated that the Black Sea peninsula is now a full part of the Russian Federation.
On June 29, Trump was asked by reporters whether he planned to drop opposition to the annexation
"We're going to have to see," he said.
News reports have cited European leaders as saying that Trump argued privately at a recent Group of Seven summit that Crimea should be part of Russia because, he said, most of the people there speak Russian as their primary language.
With reporting by AP
That concludes our live-blogging of the Ukraine crisis for Monday, July 2, 2018. Check back here tomorrow for more of our continuing coverage. Thanks for reading and take care.
Crimean Prosecutor Asks For Four-Year Prison Sentence For Hunger-Striking Activist
By the Crimea Desk of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
SIMFEROPOL -- The prosecutor overseeing the second trial of a pro-Ukrainian activist in the annexed peninsula of Crimea asked for a four-year prison sentence against the man, who is currently on hunger strike.
Volodymyr Balukh was originally arrested in late 2016 and convicted on a weapons-and-explosives possession charge in August 2017. His conviction, and nearly four-year prison sentence, was reversed on appeal and returned to a lower court, which issued the same verdict and sentence in January.
The new case against Balukh was started three months later, in March, after the warden of the penal facility where he is being held sued him, claiming that Balukh attacked him.
On July 2, local prosecutor Dmitry Shmelev asked the Rozdolne district court for a new four-year prison sentence for the alleged attack.
Balukh, who started a hunger strike on March 19 to protest the new case, contends the prosecutions are politically motivated.
Balukh was arrested in December 2016 after the Russian security agents allegedly found explosives and ammunition in his house.
The search was conducted shortly after Balukh planted a Ukrainian flag in his yard and affixed a sign to his house honoring those killed in Kyiv in 2013 and 2014 during the street protests that ousted the country’s pro-Russian president.
Russia annexed Crimea about a month after the president, Viktor Yanukovych, fled the country.
Since that time, Russia has moved aggressively to prosecute Ukrainian activists and anyone who questions the annexation. Among those prosecuted are RFE/RL journalist Mykola Semena, who was convicted in September 2017 on separatism charges.