November 22 (BTA) - In a Facebook post on Monday the US Embassy in Sofia said that the United States is deeply concerned by the recent statements of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev in which he referred to Crimea as "Russian".

"The United States, G7, European Union, and NATO have all been clear and united in our position that, despite Russia's attempted annexation and ongoing occupation, Crimea is Ukraine. All of us, including Bulgaria, declared at the Crimea Platform Summit in August that Crimea is an integral part of Ukraine and that we do not and will not recognize Russia's efforts to legitimize its illegal seizure and occupation of the peninsula. In recent days we have communicated our deep concern to the Bulgarian government in Washington and in Sofia," the post reads.

Radev referred to Crimea as "Russian" during a televised debate on November 18 on the eve of Sunday's presidential run-off election in Bulgaria which he won against runner-up Anastas Gerdjikov.