The White House said Friday that President Trump doesn’t support Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to hold a referendum in Russia-dominated eastern Ukraine.
“The administration is not considering supporting a referendum in the eastern Ukraine,” said National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis in a statement.
He said achieving peace in the region hinges on following the Minsk Agreements, a 2015 pact that does “not include any option for referendum.”
“Furthermore, to organize a so-called referendum in a part of Ukraine which is not under government control would have no legitimacy,” Mr. Marquis said.
Bloomberg reported that Mr. Putin proposed such a referendum during his meeting with Mr. Trump on Monday in Helsinki, Finland.
Fighting between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian forces broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014 after Russia illegally annexed Crimea from Ukraine.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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