Türkiye does not recognize annexation of Crimea and resolutely supports Ukraine's territorial integrity — MFA statement

Türkiye does not recognize the de facto situation in Crimea, which is a violation of international law, according to a statement by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the twelfth anniversary of the illegal Russian annexation of the peninsula.

"Resolutely supporting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, Türkiye will continue to closely monitor the situation on the peninsula and keep it on the agenda, paying special attention to the situation of the Crimean Tatar Turks," reads the statement published Monday on the website of the Turkish foreign ministry.

March 16 marks 12 years since Russia conducted a fake "referendum on the status of Crimea" on the previously occupied peninsula, while March 18 marks the anniversary of the attempted illegal annexation, when the so-called "agreements on the accession of Crimea to the Russian Federation" were signed.