German Chancellor Angela Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that for last 70 years Europe has been living peacefully, mainly because there was a basic consensus that Europeans respect the territorial integrity of its member states.
"The compliance of the states' territorial integrity and the impossibility of changing the border lines unilaterally is the key European accord, Merkel said in an interview with The Saxon newspaper posted on Wednesday, adding that after the annexation of Crimea Putin went against these principles.
Nobody coordinated holding of the referendum with Kyiv government, as for example, in Scotland, there have been no long years of injustice and numerous resolutions of the United Nations, as for example, in Kosovo, the chancellor stressed adding that she would never accept the annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in March this year.
"If such an annexation, which violates international law, were to become a political instrument that were accepted without challenge, then everything that has allowed us to live in peace and prosperity for half a century would be in danger," she said.
Merkel made it clear that she does not recognize Russia's actions committed in relation to Ukraine.
"That is why we do not accept Russia's actions," she said.
She also said that Ukrainians must have a right for self-determination.
"If they Ukrainians voted for closer cooperation with Russia or joining the Eurasian Customs Union, the European Union wouldn't be against that", Merkel said.
"Ukraine should be able individually, freely and democratically to make decisions about its constitution, policies, as well as the degree of independence of the eastern regions. Russia should recognize it," she said.
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