The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaia Kalas, today again called on Russia to respect the internationally recognized borders and sovereignty of Ukraine. The call was contained in a statement by Kalas on the occasion of the Russian State Duma elections on 18-20 September, BTA reported.
These elections have shown the ongoing and deepening erosion of democracy in Russia in an increasingly authoritarian political environment, says Kalas on behalf of the EU. The lack of a level playing field in the elections was further exacerbated by Russia’s war against Ukraine and the ongoing illegal occupation of Ukrainian territories, she added.
The Russian authorities continued to intensify their persistent and institutionalized domestic and foreign repression to prevent democratic opposition forces from challenging the status quo. The decision to bar candidates from the "Yabloko" party further limited the choice of Russian voters by excluding one of the last remaining opposition forces and the only party with an anti-war platform from the electoral process, added Kalas.
In the run-up to the elections, independent analysts and observers reported a widespread abuse of administrative and judicial means to remove all opponents of the war, depriving Russian voters of a genuine choice about the future of their country, and severely restricting Russians’ access to independent information. The EU will continue to support the activities of Russian civil society organisations, human rights defenders and independent media, she added.
The EU regrets the decision of the Russian Federation not to invite observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to these elections. This once again demonstrates the tendency of the Russian Federation to ignore the binding commitments made by all OSCE participating States and deprives Russian voters and institutions of an impartial and independent assessment of these elections, the statement said.
The EU strongly condemns the illegal organisation of the so-called "elections" by the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine - in Crimea and Sevastopol, as well as in parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions. These so-called "elections" constitute yet another flagrant violation by Russia of international law, including the UN Charter, as well as of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the statement said.
The EU calls on Russia to respect the internationally recognised borders and sovereignty of Ukraine, and reiterates that it does not and will never recognise either the holding of these so-called "elections" in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, or their results. Those involved in the organisation of these sham elections or those running in them in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as those responsible for undermining the possibility of holding free and fair elections in Russia itself, will be subject to sanctions, Kalas said.
The EU reaffirms its unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. Russia must end its illegal war against Ukraine, agree to a complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its military forces and equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine, the statement concluded.