• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

U.S., NATO Allies Condemn Russian 'Land Grab' In Ukraine

March 18, 2014
by RFE/RL

The United States and its NATO allies have condemned Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea as a 'land grab' in violation of international law, and warned that Moscow faces the prospect of more Western sanctions.

The denunciations came shortly after President Vladimir Putin and Crimean leaders signed treaties early on March 18 making Crimea and the city of Sevastopol part of the Russian Federation.

The Russian State Duma is expected to overwhelmingly back the treaty as soon as March 19.

Speaking on a visit to Poland, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden vowed that Russia's "political and economic isolation" will only increase if it continues moves to absorb Crimea into the Russia.

Biden denounced the Crimea annexation as "an almost unbelievable set of events" and "nothing more than a land grab" by Moscow after Ukraine's pro-Russian government collapsed last month and was replaced by a pro-Western administration.

'Russia has offered a variety of arguments to justify what is nothing more than a land grab, including what was said today [by Putin],' Biden said. 'But the world has seen through Russia's action and has rejected the logic, the flawed logic, behind those actions.'

Biden renewed America's commitment to establishing elements of a missile-defense system in Poland by 2018. He pledged the Obama administration would work to strengthen NATO to counter Russian aggression.

'Recent events remind us that the bedrock of our alliance remains collective self-defense as enshrined in Article 5 of the NATO treaty,' Biden said. 'Our intent is that NATO emerge from this crisis stronger and more unified than ever.'

As the crisis intensified last week, the United States dispatched 12 F-16 fighter jets to Poland to take part in military exercises and boost Poland's security.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who appeared with Biden, said the international community cannot accept Crimea's annexation. Tusk called the move a "provocation for the entire free world.'

Britain, meanwhile, has announced it has suspended all military cooperation with Russia in response to the Crimea annexation.

Foreign Secretary William Hague, speaking to parliament in London, warned of a potential "provocation" that could lead to a Russian military incursion elsewhere in Ukraine.

Hague also condemned the Crimea annexation as a "land grab."

'No amount of sham and perverse democratic process or skewed historical references can make up for the fact that this is an incursion into a sovereign state and a land grab of part of its territory with no respect for the law of that country or for international law,' Hague said.

In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany views the entire process of Crimea's annexation -- from the March 16 referendum in the territory, the declaration of independence by secessionist Crimean lawmakers, and Russia's annexation -- as all being against international law.

French President Francois Hollande has urged European Union leaders to make a 'strong' response to Russia's actions at a European Council meeting Thursday and Friday.

In a written statement, Hollande said France does not recognize the Crimean referendum or what he called "the attachment of this Ukrainian region to Russia.'

While Moscow has refused to acknowledge the fact, Russian troops have been occupying Crimea since late last month, when a new Ukrainian government was voted in after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled that country to Russia.

On March 17, the European Union and the United States unveiled sanctions targeting more than 30 Russians, Ukrainians, and Crimeans in response to the crisis.

In his speech to Russian lawmakers on March 18, Putin said Crimea's secessionist referendum on March 16 was democratic and in full accordance with international law.

He also dismissed Western criticism as unfair to Russians and Crimeans. Putin cited Kosovo's 2008 unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia, which has been recognized by Western nations but not by Russia.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/nato-russia-crimea- ukraine-biden-international-law/25301448.html

Copyright (c) 2014. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.