US envoy to Russia: ‘Highly unlikely’ that Trump will recognize Russia annexation of Crimea

U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman said Sunday that it is “highly unlikely” that President Trump recognizes Russia’s annexation of Crimea when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday.

Asked on “Fox News Sunday” whether Trump could use the opportunity to recognize the 2014 takeover, Huntsman cast doubt on such a possibility, calling the annexation a “violation of international law.”

“Highly unlikely. Crimea was a violation of international law. We all recognize that. That’s U.S. policy,” Huntsman said. “These are very, very serious issues and issues we have serious sanctions tied to by the way.”

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Trump is set to sit down with Putin for a highly anticipated summit in Finland on Monday, raising speculation about what the two leaders might discuss. 

Trump has previously suggested that Crimea, which was annexed from Ukraine in 2014, is “Russian because everyone who lives there speaks Russian.” He has also blamed his predecessor, former President Obama, for allowing the takeover. 

Speaking in Brussels at the end of the annual NATO summit last week, Trump insisted that he would not have allowed the annexation to take place and said that he was “not happy about” it.

“That was on Barack Obama’s watch, that was not on Trump’s watch,” he said. “Would I have allowed it to happen? No. I would not have allowed it to happen. But he did allow it to happen so that was his determination.”

“What will happen with Crimea from this point on? That, I can’t tell you,” he added. “But I’m not happy about Crimea.”