European Commission declines to comment on US stance on Crimea stands firm on Ukraine’s territorial integrity

Spokesman for the European Commission Guillaume Mercier has said that the European Commission reiterated its unwavering support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, declining to speculate on potential consequences for the US if Washington recognises Crimea as part of Russia.

Mercier addressed the matter during a press briefing in Brussels, stating that he would not speculate and reaffirmed the European Commission's full support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

His comments come amid reports suggesting that the US might raise the possibility of easing European sanctions on Russia during future negotiations on Ukraine.

The Washington Post reported earlier that the US is preparing to propose to Ukraine and the EU to recognise Crimea as part of Russia and freeze the current front lines as conditions for a potential peace settlement in the ongoing conflict. 

However, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, rejected the proposal, emphasising that the EU would not accept such a strategy. She stated that the US had not yet exhausted all its diplomatic leverage on Russia, and that the EU did not support President Donald Trump's approach to resolving the Ukraine conflict. Kallas also firmly dismissed the possibility of recognising Crimea's territorial status as part of Russia.

By Naila Huseynova