On the occasion of the third Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, the United States and Ukraine today reaffirm their strategic partnership and emphasize the important role of nuclear nonproliferation in that relationship. The United States values its 20-year partnership with Ukraine on these issues. Our nonproliferation partnership dates from Ukraine’s 1994 decision to remove all nuclear weapons from its territory and to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear-weapon state. In the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, the United States, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland welcomed these Ukrainian actions, and they reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine to respect the independence, sovereignty, and existing borders of Ukraine. The United States government reaffirms that commitment today to the new Ukrainian government and the people of Ukraine, including in Crimea. The United States government condemns Russia’s failure to abide by its commitments under the Budapest Memorandum with its unilateral military actions in Ukraine. Russia’s actions undermine the foundation of the global security architecture and endanger European peace and security. Ukraine and the United States emphasize that they will not recognize Russia's illegal attempt to annex Crimea. Crimea is an integral part of Ukraine. The United States will continue to help Ukraine affirm its sovereignty and territorial integrity. As the people of Ukraine work to restore unity, peace, and security to their country, the United States will stand by their side.

The United States and Ukraine reiterate their commitment to upholding their nuclear nonproliferation commitments. The United States recognizes the importance of the 2012 removal of all highly enriched uranium from Ukraine. This removal again highlighted Ukraine’s leadership in nuclear security and nonproliferation, as we collectively work together to secure the world’s vulnerable nuclear material. As part of its support for this effort, the United States committed in 2010 to work with Ukraine to construct a Neutron Source Facility at the Kharkiv Institute for Physics and Technology. This month construction of the Neutron Source Facility was completed. The facility, equipped with the most up-to-date technology to operate at the highest safety standards, provides Ukraine with new research capabilities and the ability to produce industrial and medical isotopes for the benefit of the Ukrainian people.

This state of the art facility is representative of the modern, European state the Government of Ukraine is committed to building. To build on this important cooperation, the United States will continue to provide technical support for the Neutron Source Facility as Ukraine completes the necessary final equipment installation, testing, and start-up to make the facility fully operational as soon as practical.

This successful effort reflects broad U.S.-Ukrainian cooperation on nuclear security and nonproliferation. Our countries recently extended the U.S.-Ukraine Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Umbrella Agreement and the U.S.-Ukraine Agreement Concerning Operational Safety Enhancements, Risk Reduction Measures, and Nuclear Safety Regulation for Civilian Nuclear Facilities in Ukraine.

The United States and Ukraine intend to continue to partner to prevent nuclear proliferation by improving Ukraine’s ability to detect nuclear materials on its borders, to provide physical protection at sites with nuclear or radioactive materials, and to maintain an adequate export control system in order to help realize the goals of the Nuclear Security Summits.

"[T]he Russian behavior will not have any impact on our open-door policy. NATO's door remains open. According to the NATO treaty, the alliance may invite European democracies that fulfill the necessary criteria to join our alliance. The decision whether we are going to enlarge our alliance is a decision made within the alliance without interference from third parties. So, basically it is an issue to be discussed between an applicant country and the alliance."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has called the decision by G7 states to snub a planned G-8 summit in Russia "counterproductive." The Putin spokesman said the decision would hurt both Russia and G7 countries, adding that Moscow is still "interested" in contacts with other G8 states. It is the first time that Russia, which joined the group of industrialized democracies in 1998, has been excluded from its annual summit.

Ukrainian lawmakers have rejected the resignation of acting Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh.

Tenyukh submitted his resignation today amid reports that he had failed to give timely and proper orders and commands to Ukrainian military units in Crimea during its occupation and annexation by Russia.

He has denied the allegations.

He told lawmakers that "given that some may not like the actions I am taking...I will not cling to my post."

Of 327 lawmakers, 197 voted for Tenyukh's resignation -- well short of the 226 required for it to be approved.

Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov had earlier requested that Tenyukh be relieved of his duties and replaced by General Mykhaylo Koval.

Koval is the director of the State Border Service's administration department.

Yesterday, Turchnyov ordered the Defense Ministry to withdraw all Ukrainian military forces from Crimea. (UNIAN, Interfax, Reuters)