“As we did in the Welles Declaration in 1940, the United States reaffirms as policy its refusal to recognize the Kremlin’s claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force in contravention of international law. In concert with allies, partners and the international community, the United States rejects Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored.” With these words, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo declared on July 25, 2018, that, much like the forced incorporation of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union in 1944, the illegal annexation of Crimea into the Russian Federation would never be recognized by the United States.