WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is suggesting the US accept Russia’s annexation of Crimea if it would lead to better ties with Moscow and stronger cooperation in fighting Islamic State.
That view runs counter to the Obama administration, which imposed economic sanctions against Russia for annexing the territory in Ukraine two years ago. The UN also doesn’t want countries to recognise Crimea as part of Russia.
In an interview broadcast on Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Trump suggested that the people of Crimea would rather be part of Russia.
However, the US hasn’t recognised the legitimacy of Russian referendums in Crimea and believes they were not conducted fairly. Trump also said he wasn’t involved in the effort that softened support in the Republican Party platform on assisting Ukraine. Although the platform is not pro-Russia, Trump supporters succeeded in preventing a reference to arming Ukraine from being added.
In the past, Trump’s campaign manager, political strategist Paul Manafort, lobbied on behalf of Viktor Yanukovych, a Ukrainian president and supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin.