MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini’s statement about a non-recognition policy towards Crimea is pointless as it cannot influence the real world, Russian Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachev wrote on Facebook.
Mogherini said in the statement that "the European Union remains committed to fully implementing its non-recognition policy, including through restrictive measures."
"High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini’s statement about the European Union’s non-recognition policy towards Crimea and intention to maintain sanctions looks like a pointless ritual," Kosachev noted. "The statements and resolutions on Crimea the EU has been adopting, become more and more like self-hypnosis because EU politicians are losing touch with reality and have to keep telling themselves that Crimea is part of Ukraine, the referendum was an annexation, the state coup was a legal change of power, Venezuela has another president instead of the one elected by the people, and black is white," the Russian senator noted.
He was confident that such statements had long ceased to influence the real world. "However, the Europeans feel more comfortable in the virtual reality they are creating. On the other hand, the gap between the two worlds will continue to grow and one day they will have to come down to earth from their Brussels cabinets and start searching for ways to accept facts they don’t want to accept," Kosachev pointed out.
He went on to say that despite Mogherini’s statement, Crimea’s peaceful and legal reunification with Russia did not pose a threat to international security, while military interference in the affairs of sovereign states did. In this regard, he mentioned to the 1992 and 1999 events in Yugoslavia, the 2003 developments in Iraq and the 2011 events in Libya.
"It was not Russia that was behind all that but the authors of these pointless statements about Crimea. This is why we will talk when the West admits and condemns the crimes committed in the past. Otherwise, there is nothing to talk about," the senior Russian senator stressed.
In Kosachev’s view, if there is a discussion on the matter, Russia will have a point because "Russia’s position is not based on the much talked about geopolitics but on the safety, future and life of millions of people." "They are people who made their choice independently, without external clues or pressure. This is the difference," Kosachev added.
Crimean reunification
After Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted in a coup in February 2014, mass protests erupted in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. On March 11, 2014, Crimea’s Supreme Council and Sevastopol City Council adopted a declaration of independence.
On March 16, 2014, Crimean authorities held a referendum on reuniting with Russia. Over 80% of voters participated in the plebiscite, most of them supporting the idea (96.7% in Crimea and 95.6% in the city of Sevastopol).
On March 18, President Vladimir Putin signed the treaty on Crimea’s reunification with Russia and the Federal Assembly (parliament) approved the document on March 21. However, Kiev has so far refused to acknowledge Crimea as part of Russia.
In 2014, the European Union imposed sanctions on Moscow over the situation in Ukraine and Crimea’s reunification with Russia. Visa waiver negotiations and talks on a new cooperation agreement were suspended. Some Russian officials were barred from entering EU counties, their assets were frozen. Besides, trade, financial and military restrictions were also introduced. Sanctions have been repeatedly extended and expanded.