Ukraine at UN says Vladimir Putin’s Crimea decree ‘null and void’

“The decision is null and void as any other decision taken by Crimea so far,” Yelchenko told reporters, adding that there was “indignation” in Kiev over the move.

The proposed statement would refer to a UN General Assembly resolution that rejected Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.

“We would not be surprised if Russia will block this press statement but it will show again who stands where,” said the ambassador.

Putin issued a decree merging Crimea into the southern federal district of Russia to strengthen the work of federal state bodies, the Kremlin press service said.

Wading into the US election campaign, the Ukrainian ambassador said he expected any future US president to respect UN decisions rejecting Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said he would consider recognising Crimea as part of Russia and lifting sanctions imposed on Moscow in response to the land grab.

“Mister Trump is not the president of the United States, at least not yet,” said Yelchenko.

“There are well-known decisions of the United Nations,” he added. “I am pretty sure that any US government will pay full respect to those decisions.”