Russian “elections” on Ukrainian occupied territories are null and void, says EU

The European Union strongly condemned the illegitimate so-called “presidential elections” due to take place in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the City of Sevastopol and in parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily occupied. 

The EU has called it “yet another manifest violation” of international law by Russia, including the UN Charter, relevant General Assembly resolutions, and Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU also said that it does not and will not recognise these so-called “elections” taking place, or their results. 

“All of the so-called ‘polls’, past and future, are null and void,” said Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the EU Delegation to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council on 15 March on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. “We all have a responsibility to unequivocally reject Russia’s illegal annexation attempts. All of us should be clear to Russia that their actions undermine all efforts to reach a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in line with the UN Charter and are flagrantly illegal and unacceptable.”

Lambrinidis added that the human rights situation in the temporarily occupied territories remains of “great concern” and that Russia must enable “full, safe and unhindered” humanitarian access through the front lines and stop willingly withholding aid from people in need in the areas it has temporarily occupied.

“Let me repeat: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea are Ukraine. The world will not accept Russia’s attempted land grab. And the aggressor will be held to account,” concluded Lamprindis.

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