US supports intention of Poroshenko to return Crimea, Donbas in way Savchenko is returned

Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State Mark Toner said this at a daily press briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"It was Russia who occupied illegally and remains in Crimea, so we do believe that Crimea should be returned to its rightful owner, which is Ukraine," Toner said, when asked how the U.S. Department of State responded to Poroshenko’s statement he wanted to bring back Crimea and Donetsk in the way Savchenko had been brought.

"In terms of eastern Ukraine, we’ve been very clear that Russia and the separatists that it backs actively in eastern Ukraine need to comply with the commitments that they made under Minsk, which provides a path towards resolution of this ongoing conflict," Toner added.

He also reiterated the content of the latest statement made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, saying that liberation Savchenko should provide the impetus for a complete implementation of the Minsk agreements.

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