Türkiye says it won’t recognize Crimea annexation

ANKARA

Türkiye has reiterated that it won’t recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea and underlined its support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry issued a written statement “Regarding the Tenth Anniversary of the Illegal Annexation of Crimea” on March 16.

“It has been a decade since the Russian Federation annexed the Autonomous Republic of Crimea of Ukraine through an illegitimate referendum held on 16 March 2014,” read the statement.

Türkiye will continue to closely monitor the developments in Crimea, especially the situation of the Crimean Tatar Turks, one of the main constituents of the peninsula, and keep them at the top of its agenda, read the statement.
“Türkiye reiterates that it does not recognize this de facto situation, which constitutes a violation of international law, and underlines its support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty,” it added.

Türkiye is in efforts for the cessation of the war between Russia and Ukraine since February 2022.

Russian forces entered the Crimean Peninsula in February 2014, and in March formally annexed the region – a move that Türkiye, the U.N., the U.S. and the EU, all view as illegal.

February 2024 marked two years since Russia launched its war on Ukraine, and 10 years since it illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.