18 March 2016, 12:03 GMT
YALTA (Russia) (Sputnik) — The issue of Crimea being a part of Russia will never be negotiated, as the peninsula's reunification was historical justice completed in full compliance with international law, the speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament said Saturday.
"The reunification was carried out not only in compliance with international law but also was just from moral and historical point of view. We consider the issue closed, it will never be open for negotiations," Valentina Matvienko told the Livadiya international forum.
Crimea reunified with Russia in March 2014 following a political referendum in the region, in which 96 percent of those who voted did so in favor of rejoining Russia.
Ukraine and the Western states have refused to recognize the vote, imposing economic sanctions against the peninsula that include investment bans and restrictive measures targeting Crimean individuals and entities.
