Five years ago, Russia’s occupation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula fueled an escalation of Russian aggression. Russia attempted to upend the international order, undermined basic human freedoms, and weakened our common security. The world has not forgotten the cynical lies Russia employed to justify its aggression and mask its attempted annexation of Ukrainian territory. Russia’s use of force against a peaceful neighbor must not be tolerated by reputable states. The United States reiterates its unwavering position: Crimea is Ukraine and must be returned to Ukraine’s control.

The United States remains gravely concerned by the worsening repression by Russia’s occupation regime in Crimea. During the past five years, Russian occupation authorities have engaged in an array of abuses in a campaign to eliminate all opposition to its control over Crimea. As part of this campaign, Russia has arbitrarily detained and wrongfully convicted individuals for peaceful opposition to the occupation, and in some cases has forcibly transferred these individuals from occupied Crimea to Russia. The United States calls on Russia to release all of the Ukrainians, including members of the Crimean Tatar community, it has imprisoned in retaliation for their peaceful dissent. This includes Oleh Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, Volodymyr Balukh, Ruslan Zeytullayev, and approximately 70 others. We call on Russia to cease all its abuses immediately, to end its occupation of Crimea, and, in the meantime, to comply with its obligations under international law, including the law of occupation.

In the Crimea Declaration of July 25, 2018, the United States reaffirmed its refusal to recognize the Kremlin’s claims of sovereignty over Crimea. The United States also condemns Russia’s illegal actions in Crimea and its continued aggression against Ukraine. The United States will maintain respective sanctions against Russia until the Russian government returns control of Crimea to Ukraine and fully implements the Minsk agreements. The United States reiterates its unbending support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial waters.

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Following Indian counter-terrorism actions on February 26, I spoke with Indian Minister of External Affairs Swaraj to emphasize our close security partnership and shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region. I also spoke to Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi to underscore the priority of de-escalating current tensions by avoiding military action, and the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil. I expressed to both Ministers that we encourage India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost. I also encouraged both Ministers to prioritize direct communication and avoid further military activity.

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External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Four years ago, former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, a leading figure in Russia’s democratic movement, was gunned down outside the walls of the Kremlin. Although five men were convicted for carrying out his assassination, the United States continues to call on Russian authorities to identify publicly those who organized and ordered the crime, and hold them accountable.

Boris Nemtsov remains an inspiration to all those in Russia and around the world who strive for justice, democracy, and a government accountable to the people. We honor his memory by renewing our call for the Government of Russia to allow journalists, civil society activists, and political opposition members to exercise their universal human rights of freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly without fear of violence or other forms of reprisal.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Ambassador Robert Strayer, Senior Advisor Brian Bulatao and high-ranking colleagues from FCC, FTC, DoD, Commerce, and USAID are currently participating in MWC Barcelona (formerly Mobile World Congress). The main topic of discussion is 5G, the next generation of mobile communication, which promises to transform both economy and society by connecting billions of devices to the Internet and enabling a broad array of new applications. The United States will continue to work to ensure that partners and allies maintain secure and reliable communications networks and supply chains to reduce the risks of unauthorized access and malicious cyber activity.

To read Ambassador Strayer’s full remarks at today’s press availability in Barcelona, please click here.

For further information, please contact the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Economic Policy Analysis and Public Diplomacy Office (EB/EPPD) at EB-A-PD-DL@state.gov. Follow along on Twitter at @EconAtState.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

On behalf of the Government of the United States, I extend congratulations to the people of the Dominican Republic on your 175th anniversary of independence.

The United States and the Dominican Republic enjoy a strong relationship rooted in familial and cultural ties and a long history of cooperation on security, trade and investment, disaster preparedness, and education. We value the Dominican Republic’s leadership on issues of regional interest, including as a member of the United National Security Council this year. Your country has played an essential role in promoting democracy in the hemisphere and contributing to the prosperity of our peoples. We look forward to deepening our partnership with the Dominican Republic through the U.S.-Caribbean 2020 initiative as we work towards a future of mutual security, growth, and prosperity.

The United States values our longstanding friendship and wishes the citizens of the Dominican Republic a happy Independence Day celebration.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.