Crimea Quotes:

The people of Crimea, from what I've heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were.

- Donald Trump

source: "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos, abcnews.go.com. July 31, 2016.

topic: Russia, People, Crimea

Why does the U.S. care which flag will be hoisted on a small piece of land thousands of miles away?

- Ron Paul

source: "Ron Paul: Crimea secedes. So what?". www.usatoday.com. March 17, 2014.

topic: Land, Usa, America, International Relations, Miles Away

Crimea has always been and remains Russian, as well as Ukrainian, Crimean-Tatar, Greek (after all, there are Greeks living there) and German - and it will be home to all of those peoples. As for state affiliation, the people living in Crimea made their choice; it should be treated with respect, and Russia cannot do otherwise. I hope that our neighbouring and distant partners will ultimately treat this the same way, since in this case, the highest criteria used to establish the truth can only be the opinion of the people themselves.

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Home, Russia, People, Crimea, Ukrainian

The G7 and former G8 group has always viewed itself as a community of values, the annexation of Crimea, which is a blatant violation of the principles of international law, and the events in eastern Ukraine are serious violations of these common values.

- Angela Merkel

topic: Ukraine, Law, Community, Crimea, Annexation

The most obvious risk was that the Russian speaking population was threatened and that the threats were absolutely specific and tangible. This is what made Crimean residents, the people who live there, think about their future and ask Russia for help. This is what guided our decision to let Crimea become a part of Russian Federation.

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Thinking, Russia, People, Federation, Crimea

Putin never wanted all of Ukraine. He wanted for historical purposes to take Crimea. He did. Then he wanted a part of Ukraine that he could always use to advance Russian interests. And he is now at a point where nobody in the West is shouting, hey, stop. Give us back Crimea. It's all accepted. And so he has won.

- Marvin Kalb

source: Source: www.pbs.org

topic: Ukraine, Giving, Historical, Crimea

They are constantly trying to drive us into a corner because we have an independent position, because we maintain it and because we tell it like it is and don't engage in hypocrisy. But there is a limit to everything. And with Ukraine, our Western partners have crossed the line, playing the bear and acting irresponsibly and unprofessionally.

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Powerful, Independent, Ukraine, Crimea

Russia had to take the necessary measures in order to prevent the situation in Crimea unfolding the way it is now unfolding in southeastern Ukraine. We didn't want any tanks, any nationalist combat units or people with extreme views armed with automatic weapons.

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Russia, Ukraine, Views, Crimea, Automatic Weapons

NATO remains a military alliance, and we are against having a military alliance making itself at home right in our own backyard; in our historic territory. I simply cannot imagine that we would travel to Sevastopol to visit NATO sailors. Of course, most of them are wonderful guys, but it would be better to have them come and visit us, be our guests, rather than the other way round.

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Powerful, Military, Home, Crimea

The minute Putin went into Crimea, what Obama should have done is sent 50,000 troops to NATO. He didn't have to engage them, just send them. That puts the fear of God into people.

- Rudy Giuliani

source: "Is the Confederate flag controversy a Democratic problem?". "The Hannity Show", www.foxnews.com. June 25, 2015.

topic: Should Have, People, Troops, Crimea

Today, it is imperative to end this hysteria, to refute the rhetoric of the Cold War and to accept the obvious fact: Russia is an independent, active participant in international affairs. Like other countries, it has its own national interests that need to be taken into account and respected.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Vladimir Putin “VLADIMIR PUTIN: Munich”, ITBM

topic: Country, Powerful, War, International Affairs, Crimea

America does, in the future, need to have a conversation with and try to move forward with Russia.

- Philip M. Breedlove

topic: Moving, Russia, America, Wrong Actions, Crimea

They act as they please: here and there, they use force against sovereign states, building coalitions based on the principle 'If you are not with us, you are against us.' To make this aggression look legitimate, they force the necessary resolutions from international organizations, and if for some reason this does not work, they simply ignore the UN Security Council and the UN overall.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Address to Duma deputies, Federation Council members, heads of Russian regions and civil society representatives in the Kremlin, en.kremlin.ru. March 18, 2014.

topic: Powerful, Organization, Here And There, Crimea

What Secretary Ash Carter is looking at is the constant pressure that Russia's putting on our European allies. The way that Russia is trying to move the boundaries of the post-World War II Europe. The way that he is trying to set European countries against one another, seizing territory, holding it in Crimea. Beginning to explore whether they could make some inroads in the Baltics.

- Hillary Clinton

source: Source: www.washingtonpost.com

topic: Country, War, Moving, Crimea

Some Western politicians are already threatening us with not just sanctions, but also the prospect of increasingly serious problems on the domestic front. I would like to know what it is they have in mind exactly: action by a fifth column, this disparate bunch of 'national traitors', or are they hoping to put us in a worsening social and economic situation so as to provoke public discontent? We consider such statements irresponsible and clearly aggressive in tone, and we will respond to them accordingly.

- Vladimir Putin

source: "Prince Charles is right: Similarites between Putin and Hitler are uncanny" by Trent Franks, www.foxnews.com. May 23, 2014.

topic: Powerful, Threatening Us, Mind, Crimea

I believe that the Europeans, first and foremost, the Germans, will also understand me. Let me remind you that in the course of political consultations on the unification of East and West Germany... some nations that were then and are now Germany's allies did not support the idea of unification. Our nation, however, unequivocally supported the sincere, unstoppable desire of the Germans for national unity. I am confident that you have not forgotten this, and I expect that the citizens of Germany will also support the aspiration of the Russians, of historical Russia, to restore unity.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Address by President of the Russian Federation, en.kremlin.ru. March 18, 2014.

topic: Powerful, Believe, Russia, Consultation, Crimea

I think, clearly, we got to work closely with China to resolve the serious problems we have, and I worry about Putin and his military adventurism in the Crimea and the Ukraine.

- Bernie Sanders

source: Bernie Sanders during Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire, www.nytimes.com. February 5, 2016.

topic: Military, Thinking, Ukraine, Crimea

With all of these strong ties to NATO, Ukraine is a mess. Crimea has been taken. Don't blame Donald Trump for that.

- Donald Trump

source: Source: abcnews.go.com

topic: Strong, Taken, Ukraine, Crimea

Our task was not to conduct a full-fledged military operation there [in Crimea], but it was to ensure people's safety and security and a comfortable environment to express their will. We did that. But it would not have been possible without the Crimeans' own strong resolution.

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Strong, Military, Safety, Military Operations, Crimea

Napoleon once said that justice is the incarnation of God on Earth. I'm telling you: the reunification of Crimea and Russia is just.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Source: www.businessinsider.com

topic: Russia, Justice, Earth, Crimea, Reunification

Hillary Clinton's top priority when she became secretary of state was the Russian reset. The Russian reset. After the Russian reset, the Russians invaded Ukraine and took over Crimea.

- Mike Pence

source: Source: www.politico.com

topic: Ukraine, Priorities, Clinton, Reset, Crimea

I'll tell what reckless is. What reckless is is calling [Bashar] Assad a reformer. What reckless is allowing Russia to come into Crimea and Ukraine. What reckless is is inviting Russia into Syria to team with Iran. That is reckless. And the reckless people are the folks in the White House right now. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are the reckless people.

- Chris Christie

source: "Rush Transcript second debate: CNN Facebook Republican Presidential Debate", cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com. December 16, 2015.

topic: Team, Russia, Ukraine, Assad, Crimea

I'm asking : if the Kosovars have the right to self-determination, why should people on Crimea not have it? I would say: everyone should comply with uniform international rules and not want to change them any time one feels like it.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Source: www.businessinsider.com

topic: Determination, Self, People, Crimea

I'm very pleased this military engagement together with a political road map that we developed, we were able to continue. We want to bring about a political solution there. We worked very closely together [with Barack Obama] on the issue of annexation of Crimea and Russia's attempt to actually conquer Ukraine and actually, they did so, conquer part of the territory. We tried to come to a peaceful settlement here on this.

- Angela Merkel

source: Source: time.com

topic: Military, Russia, Ukraine, Crimea, Road Maps

I think Putin wants to recreate as much of the Soviet Union as he can through a variety of different means. He's invaded parts of Georgia, took Crimea, southeastern Ukraine, bases in other countries.

- David Petraeus

source: Source: abcnews.go.com

topic: Country, Mean, Thinking, Other Countries, Crimea

To go into Ukraine and to take over, to invade Crimea, is a huge step. And [Russian President Vladimir Putin] would only have done it with a president who has shown from the very beginning that [President Obama] is living in a fantasy world...They imagine the world as a new interconnected world where climate change is the biggest threat and they are shocked that the Russians actually are interested in territory.

- Charles Krauthammer

source: "Comrade Putin explains it all" By Chris Stirewalt, www.foxnews.com. March 4, 2014.

topic: Ukraine, President, Climate, Interconnected World, Fantasy Worlds

There's an old proverb that says the Russian bear never dies, it just hibernates and the truth of the matter is the weak and feckless policy of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has awakened an aggression in Russia that first appeared few years ago with their move in Georgia, now their move into Crimea, now their move into the wider Middle East and all the while, all we do is fold our arms and say we're not having talks anymore.

- Mike Pence

source: Source: www.politico.com

topic: Moving, Russia, Years, Feckless, Old Proverb

The events in Crimea themselves have nothing to do with what happened in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and other regions. In my opinion, when the world becomes unipolar, or when someone tries to make it so, then this one pole has the illusion that all issues can be settled through power. And only when there is a balance of power does the desire to negotiate appears.

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Iraq, Issues, Balance, Libya, Crimea

If NATO troops walk in Crimea, they will immediately deploy their forces there. Such a move would be geopolitically sensitive for us because, in this case, Russia would be practically ousted from the Black Sea area. We'd be left with just a small coastline of 450 or 600km, and that's it!

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Moving, Russia, Sea, Coastline, Crimea

I would like to assure you that there is no organization or any sort of repression against people who don’t agree with our actions, for example in Ukraine, Crimea, or any other external issue, no one from official government organs do this.

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Government, Ukraine, Organization, Crimea

In France it was Joan of Arc; in the Crimea it was Florence Nightingale; in the deep south there was Rosa Parks; in India there was Mother Teresa and in Florida there was Katherine Harris.

- Larry Gatlin

topic: Mother, Florida, Political, Florence Nightingale, Crimea

There are some quite tricky challenges facing everybody working in Crimea and I shall be engaging with various government people.

- David Nabarro

topic: Government, People, Challenges, Crimea

Of course one always has to follow international law. This was also the case in Crimea. According to the Charter of the United Nations, every people has the right to self-determination.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Source: www.businessinsider.com

topic: Determination, Self, Law, Crimea, International Law

That`s how you end up with a guy like Dan Fried, overseeing the U.S. sanctions against Russia for Russia did in Ukraine and Crimea.Russia hates those sanctions more than they love life. They hate those sanctions. So, of course, you need your toughest and most experienced guy running those sanctions.

- Rachel Maddow

source: Source: www.msnbc.com

topic: Running, Hate, Love Life, Overseeing, Crimea

[Vladimir] Putin intended to provide for a broad safety corridor [for the Olympic Games]. That's why Abkhazia was a more important and desired goal of Russian aggression against Georgia than South Ossetia, which merely served as a pretext. Concerns mainly centered on the Crimea.

- Garry Kasparov

source: Source: www.rferl.org

topic: Games, Safety, Goal, Crimea

For me, it [Crimea] is not borders and state territories that matter, but people's fortunes.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Source: www.businessinsider.com

topic: People, Territory, Matter, Crimea

In the referendum - which was still decided to take place by the Crimea's old parliament - the majority of citizens voted for belonging to Russia. This is democracy, the people's will.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Source: www.businessinsider.com

topic: Russia, People, Democracy, Referendums, Crimea

Love for one's motherland is one of the most powerful and uplifting feelings. It manifested itself in full in the brotherly support to the people of Crimea and Sevastopol, when they resolutely decided to return home, this event will remain a very important epoch in domestic history forever.

- Vladimir Putin

topic: Love, Uplifting, Powerful, Crimea, Brotherly

Well, we have got to understand, for example, Russia is an orthodox Christian nation. So is Ukraine. That happened in 988 in Crimea, a place called Kievan Rus, which was the Russia around Kiev at that time. It's 1,000 years ago, but, to a Russian, it's yesterday.

- Marvin Kalb

source: Source: www.pbs.org

topic: Christian, Russia, Ukraine, Kiev, Christian Nation

The sanctions and travel restrictions would have to be far more comprehensive to be truly painful for [Vladimir] Putin and his inner circle. And the new middle class should also feel the effects of what he is doing. For instance, we should ask those who wish to enter the EU whether they have visited illegally occupied Crimea in the last few months and, if the answer is "yes," deny them a visa.

- Garry Kasparov

source: "Putin Needs Wars To Legitimize His Position". Interview with Erich Follath, www.spiegel.de. November 10, 2015.

topic: Class, Circles, Wish, Comprehensive, Crimea

My husband was in the war of the Crimea. It is terrible the hardships he went through‚ to be two months without going into a house‚ under the snow in trenches. And no food to get‚ maybe a biscuit in the day. And there was enough food there‚ he said‚ to feed all Ireland; but bad management‚ they could not get it.

- Lady Gregory

source: Lady Gregory (2013). “The Essential Lady Gregory Collection”, p.524, eBookIt.com

topic: Crimea, Two Months

The most successful of the Tartar princes assumed the military command, to which he was entitled by the superiority either of merit or of power. He was raised to the throne by the acclamations of his equals; and the title of Khan expresses, in the language of the North of Asia, the full extent of the regal dignity. The right of hereditary succession was long confined to the blood of the founder of the monarchy; and at this moment all the Khans, who reign from Crimea to the wall of China, are the lineal descendants of the renowned Zingis.

- Edward Gibbon

topic: Wall, Military, Successful, Military Command, Crimea

We know that Donald Trump has shown a very troubling willingness to back up [Vladimir] Putin, to support Putin, whether it's saying that NATO wouldn't come to the rescue of allies if they were invaded, talking about removing sanctions from Russian officials after they were imposed by the United States and Europe together, because of Russia's aggressiveness in Crimea and Ukraine, his praise for Putin which is I think quite remarkable.

- Hillary Clinton

source: Source: www.npr.org

topic: Thinking, Russia, Ukraine, Aggressiveness, Crimea

The Crimea is not a disputed territory. Unlike the case of Georgia and South Ossetia, there has been no ethnic conflict there.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Source: russialist.org

topic: Territory, Georgia, Conflict, Ethnic Conflict, Crimea

There are complicated processes going on in society in the Crimea. There are problems of the Crimean Tatars, the Ukrainian population, the Russian population, the Slavic population in general, but this is Ukraine's domestic political problem.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Source: russialist.org

topic: Ukraine, Political, Population, Crimea

The nationalists' coup in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev in February 2014 has hugely scared 2.5 million Russian people living on Crimea. So what did we do? We have not gone to war, we have not fired, not a single person was killed. Our soldiers have merely prevented the Ukrainian troops on Crimea from impeding the freedom of expression of the people.

- Vladimir Putin

source: Source: www.businessinsider.com

topic: War, Expression, People, Kiev, Crimea

I asked [my father] what there was to make doctoring more disgusting than nursing, which women were always doing, and which ladies had done publicly in the Crimea. He could not tell me.

- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

topic: Father, Women, Nursing, Doctoring, Crimea