The Trump administration has turned up the heat on Russia’s control of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and demanded that Moscow release journalists and fishermen recently sized in the six-year clash.

"The U.S. calls for the immediate release and return to Ukraine of all the Ukrainians unjustly held by Russia, and that includes these fishermen who were improperly seized,” said James S. Gilmore III, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation.

Gilmore has focused on efforts to end the Russian military takeover of the territory, and he drew attention to the coming six-year anniversary of the annexation.

"The U.S. calls for the immediate release and return to Ukraine of all the Ukrainians unjustly held by Russia, and that includes these fishermen who were improperly seized." The transcript from my interview yesterday is available here: https://t.co/AKof7LjtpX pic.twitter.com/PDPkREHCxR — Ambassador James S. Gilmore III (@USAmbOSCE) February 19, 2020

“We're really coming into a rather grim anniversary,” the former Virginia governor told reporters in a conference call.

He dismissed those who’ve suggested that the situation is a regional affair, an off-shoot of local fights during the Soviet era, and said that Moscow is breaking international law.

“Unfortunately, Russia has chosen to ignore these commitments or the rules of engagement when they sent troops and saboteurs into the Crimean Peninsula and into eastern Ukraine. Now, some people on the call might think this is some type of just local conflict of some kind in the former Soviet space, but it goes really to the fundamental principles of how peace is going to be maintained in Europe and beyond, and throws all of that into doubt. Now, the situation in Russia-occupied Crimea is very dire,” he said.

Gilmore noted that Russia has arrested journalists and recently expanded its control to the Sea of Azov bordered by Crimea, Ukraine, and Russia, seizing three Ukraine fishermen in the area.

“This gives the appearance of an effort to try to actually take over and capture the Sea of Azov completely, which is not proper. There’s no international law that supports that. These people should not be taken in this way,” said the ambassador.

