OREANDA-NEWS. The USA never supported the opinion that the Baltic countries were part of the USSR, since they were "subjugated by force". This was stated by US Permanent Representative to the OSCE James Gilmore, according to the website of the US Department of State.

“We never agreed that these were Soviet socialist republics and legal parts of Russia”, he said. Washington holds a similar position with regard to the Crimea, said Gilmore. According to him, Moscow needs to change its approach in foreign policy. The politician added that the United States will maintain sanctions on the peninsula until Russia "leaves the Crimea".

In late February, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanded that Crimea be returned to Ukraine. He said that until this moment Washington will maintain anti-Russian sanctions. According to him, the regional authorities violate human rights and freedoms. The head of the State Department also noted that "the militarization of Crimea is a threat to general security".

In response, the Russian embassy in the United States invited representatives of the American administration to come to the Crimea and see the real situation on the peninsula. The diplomatic mission said that the issue of Crimea’s ownership was finally closed.