Autonomous Republic of Crimea

Germany's Foreign Ministry says envoys from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France will meet this week in Berlin to try and push forward the implementation of a peace deal for eastern Ukraine, Voice of America reported.

A Russian ship sank on its way to Turkey in the Black Sea on April 19, as five people have been rescued and seven are missing, Doğan News Agency has reported.

"On April 19, the Heroes of Arsenal ship sank in the Black Sea," the Crimea department of the Russian Emergencies Ministry said in a statement.

According to Crimean rescuers, the vessel had 12 crew members on board.

Since the Russian annexation of Crimean Peninsula in March 2014, the Black Sea has become one of the areas of confrontation between Russia and the West. In response to Russian aggression towards Ukraine, NATO leaders decided in the Wales Summit on Sept. 4-5, 2014 to increase the Alliance's deterrence capability in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea, in order to reassure allies and partners.

French presidential candidate Francois Fillon mentioned the issue of Kosovo when he spoke about Crimea joining Russia.

Russia said on Feb. 15 it would not hand back Crimea to Ukraine or discuss the matter with foreign partners after the White House said U.S. President Donald Trump expected the annexed Black Sea peninsula to be returned. 

White House Spokesperson Sean Spicer said on Tuesday US President Donald Trump expects Russia to return Crimea to Ukraine.

At a daily news briefing, Spicer told reporters "President Trump has made it very clear that he expects the Russian government to de-escalate violence in the Ukraine and return Crimea."

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will pay a visit to Ukraine on Feb. 9 and 10 on the occasion of the fifth meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group, a Foreign Ministry statement said on Feb. 8. 

Çavuşoğlu and his Ukrainian counterpart, Pavlo Klimkin, will review all dimensions of bilateral relations and discuss new cooperation opportunities, the statement said.

Bulgaria's President-elect Rumen Radev should consider very carefully his position on Crimea and its incorporation into Russia, incumbent Rosen Plevneliev has said.

Bulgaria's President Rosen Plevneliev is the only sitting head of state to sign a letter to US President-elect Donal Trump advising him against rapprochement with Russia.

The results of the Russian parliamentary elections in Crimea were not legally valid in the eyes of Turkey, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç said on Sept. 23 in a written statement.

Turkey continued to support the territorial integrity of Ukraine, including the Crimean peninsula, said Bilgiç, adding that the weekend's elections were considered within this perspective.