Sullivan won’t say whether US will back Ukraine in retaking Crimea

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan refused to opportunity Sunday whether nan United States would support Ukraine successful trying to retake Crimea, nan peninsula that was invaded and annexed by Russia successful 2014.

During an quality on NBC’s "Meet nan Press," Sullivan many times based on that Ukraine itself would person to specify triumph against Russia. Anchor Chuck Todd past reminded Sullivan that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defined triumph past twelvemonth erstwhile he said, "This Russian warfare ... began pinch Crimea and must extremity pinch Crimea – pinch its liberation."

"President Zelenskyy did specify victory, what he thought triumph looked for illustration successful August of past year," Todd told Sullivan connected Sunday. "There's ever been a hesitancy among U.S. officials, Jake, and I cognize you're included here, astir Crimea specifically. And it's ever been, ‘Well, it's up to Ukraine.’ Well, President Zelenskyy said it – triumph is each of nan territory back. Why don't we opportunity nan aforesaid point now?"

Sullivan sidestepped nan question, saying nan U.S. would support Ukraine’s efforts to return backmost its "internationally recognized borders."

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White House nationalist information advisor Jake Sullivan speaks astatine a property briefing astatine nan White House successful Washington, Sept. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

"Well, we person many times talked astir Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity wrong its internationally recognized borders," Sullivan said. "The mobility for america is really do we put Ukraine successful nan champion position connected nan battlefield truthful that they are yet successful nan champion position astatine nan negotiating table. And President Zelenskyy arsenic precocious arsenic this week has said we're going to person to yet get to a negotiated shape of this conflict."

"So from our perspective, our extremity is to fortify nan hands of nan Ukrainians connected nan battlefield truthful that they are successful nan strongest position pinch nan astir leverage erstwhile they get to nan negotiating array to yet execute an result that restores Ukraine's afloat sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.

In this photograph provided by nan Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, looks connected arsenic he meets soldiers astatine nan tract of nan heaviest battles pinch nan Russian invaders successful Bakhmut, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022.  (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

"If they want to return Crimea militarily, will nan United States thief Ukraine do that?" Todd pressed again, to nary avail.

"Chuck, nan captious point correct now is that they request to return backmost nan territory successful nan southbound and nan eastbound that they are presently focused on, and we request to springiness them nan devices to beryllium capable to do that," Sullivan responded.

"The mobility of Crimea, and nan mobility of what happens down nan roadworthy is thing that we will travel to," he said. "Where we are correct now, is that we request to beryllium focused connected nan contiguous term, because it is captious that we move accelerated and we move decisively to thief them return backmost nan territory crossed that statement of interaction that Russian troops are presently occupying."

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks during a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee proceeding connected May 20, 2020. (Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images)

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Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, appeared later connected nan show and criticized Jake Sullivan for not being much definitive connected Crimea. 

"I deliberation they should beryllium much clear," he said. "I deliberation it should beryllium each nan territorial integrity of nan full country, which includes Crimea. And truthful yes, I deliberation they request much clarity connected that, and nan nationalist information advisor didn’t show it successful his question and reply pinch you today."