REUTERS

Following U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s reiteration of the U.S. stance against Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, the UK Foreign Office issued a statement in support of this position.

"The UK echoes the United States’ firm statement of opposition to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea," Foreign Office spokesperson said Wednesday, July 25.

"The UK position is clear: we condemn Russia’s continued breach of international law," the statement reads, adding that "Crimea is Ukrainian territory."

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UK remains "fully committed to upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders."

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The Foreign Office "also remains deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Crimea, where we have seen the systematic persecution of minority groups and of those who voice their opposition to Russia’s illegal annexation of the territory" and calls again for Russia "to release all Ukrainian political prisoners held in Crimea and in Russia, and to allow unrestrained access for international human rights monitoring bodies to the peninsula."