Kremlin: Annexation term used by Merkel about Crimea is wrong

Kremlin disagrees with the term "annexation" that the German chancellor used about reunification of Russia and Crimea, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in comments on an article by Angela Merkel article published by media of G7 nations.

"If my memory serves me right, Mrs Merkel made one terminological mistake in her statement using the word ‘annexation’ instead of ‘joining’," he said. "We consider this definition wrong," Peskov added.

Peskov said it was "Crimea’s reunification with Russia, voluntary and within the framework of law". "The decision was made at a referendum and by the legitimate legislative authority of Crimea, that had been set up legitimately and was operating legitimately, including with the framework of Ukrainian at that time legislation," Putin’s spokesman added.

"That is why the term ‘annexation’ can in no way be used here, from our point of view. We consider this wrong," he added.

 German Chancellor Angela Merkel wrote an article about major threats that the global community is facing where she mentioned Crimea's reunification with Russia.

"Who would have believed it possible, 25 years on from the end of the Cold War, that the European peace order would be cast into doubt by the annexation of the Crimea? Or that the spread of the Ebola virus might destabilize several African states and set their development back? Or that in the Middle East an Islamist terrorist organization would be trying to establish a so-called caliphate in the territory of two states?" Merkel wrote.

Peskov also commented on other statements by the German chancellor, stressing not Russia's reunification with Crimea but EU's support to Ukraine's state coup was a violation of the world order.

"The threat to the world order and Europe order was created not by Crimea, but when the democratic and enlightened Europe blessed the forcible power change in one of the European states, namely - Ukraine," Peskov told reporters commenting on an article by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, published by the Group of Seven (G7) states’ media. "This was such a crucial moment for the European and world order," he said.

The Kremlin spokesman also disagreed with journalists who said the EU has been giving certain positive signals lately. "It’s your subjective viewpoint, and I see no reason for comment here," Peskov said.

He said, however, that such rhetoric does not put an end to the Russia-EU negotiating process. "There is always a way out," he said.

The Russian authorities have repeatedly denied accusations of "annexing" Crimea saying the Black Sea peninsula reunified with Russia voluntarily after a referendum.