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Crimea and Sevastopol

Putin says he expressed disagreement with Trump’s position on Crimea in Helsinki

"People in Crimea went to a referendum and voted for joining Russia. If this is annexation, what is democracy then?" Putin said

© Alexey Nikolsky/TASS

NEW YORK, July 17. /TASS/. During the Russian-US summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed disagreement with US President Donald Trump’s position that Crimea remains a part of Ukraine, the Russian leader said in a Fox News interview on Monday.

When asked by 'Fox News Sunday' anchor Chris Wallace about Russia’s "annexation" of Crimea, Putin replied: "I’d like to make a correction. The joining of Crimea to Russia is not an annexation."

He reiterated that Crimea joined Russia as a result of a democratic referendum.

"People in Crimea went to a referendum and voted for joining Russia. If this is annexation, what is democracy then?" Putin said.

"We are aware of president Trump’s posture, that… Crimea is part of Ukraine," Putin said. "He told me this today. I responded with the words pretty much similar to what I’ve said to you, and I think we should leave the discussion at that."

On March 16, 2014, Crimean authorities held a referendum on reuniting with Russia against the background of a protracted political crisis and a coup in Ukraine. 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. Ukraine, the United States and the European Union have so far refused to acknowledge Crimea as part of Russia.

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Crimea and Sevastopol

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