Deputy Secretary General: NATO will never recognize annexation of Crimea

"Ukrainians chose the path of freedom, democracy, and Euro-Atlantic integration, and NATO is completely on Ukraine's side. NATO condemns and will never recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea. Crimea is the territory of Ukraine, and we call on Russia to return control over the peninsula to Ukraine," NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană said at the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He noted that the security situation in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, as well as in the Black Sea-Azov region, affected "all of us."

"Russia's actions in Crimea have led to the unspeakable suffering of the Ukrainian people, they undermine international law and are indeed a threat to the world order based on rules and principles. This is not just an issue of Ukraine, this is an issue for all of us in a free democratic world," the NATO Deputy Secretary General emphasized.

At the June summit, NATO leaders reaffirmed their continued support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as the Bucharest summit's decision that Ukraine and Georgia would become NATO members, Geoană recalled.

As reported, the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform – President’s initiative for the de-occupation of Crimea – is held in Kyiv on August 23. Forty-six delegations take part in the summit.

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