REUTERS-Ukraine indicated on
Wednesday it would bar French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen from
entering the country after comments she made that
appeared to legitimize
Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Kiev is nervous
about the shifting political landscape in 2017. U.S. President-elect Donald
Trump has adopted a friendlier tone toward Russia while another French
presidential candidate, Francois Fillon, favors lifting sanctions against
Moscow.
Relations between
Ukraine and Russia soured after Russia's annexation of Crimea and the
subsequent outbreak of pro-Russian separatist fighting in eastern Ukraine that
has killed around 10,000 people, despite a ceasefire being notionally in place.
Alluding to Le Pen,
the Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement: "Making statements
that repeat Kremlin propaganda, the French politician shows disrespect for the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and completely ignores the fundamental
principles of international law.
"In this
regard, we remind that such statements and actions in violation of the
Ukrainian legislation will necessarily have consequences, as it was in the case
of certain French politicians, who are denied entry to Ukraine," it said.
Le Pen was quoted by
French television as saying Russia's annexation of Crimea was not illegal
because the Crimean people had chosen to join Russia in a referendum, a
position Kiev vehemently disputes. The referendum was also declared illegal by
the United Nations General Assembly.
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