Pompeo promised Ukraine to continue “creating costs” for Russia

This was reported by the press service of the US State Department.

“The United States will continue to create costs for Russia, including through sanctions, until Russia begins to implement the Minsk agreements and stops the occupation of Crimea,” the press release said.

Pompeo emphasized the US commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

He also condemned attempts to “use” the coronavirus pandemic “to spread misinformation and further restrict the movement of OSCE observers and humanitarian organizations in eastern Ukraine.”

Previously, three ex-US ambassadors in Kiev - Stephen Pifer, John Herbst and William Taylor - in an NPR publication proposed using the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to exert pressure on Russia and “return” Crimea to Ukraine.

Spokesman for the Russian leader Dmitry Peskov called such points of view absurd.

Crimea became the Russian region after a referendum held in March 2014, in which the majority of the inhabitants of the peninsula voted to reunite with Russia.