By planning to hold presidential elections in occupied Ukrainian territories, Russia blatantly violates Ukraine’s sovereignty, international law and the UN Charter, Baltic ministers of foreign affairs stress in a joint statement.
As reported by Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Baltic ministers stress that nearly ten years have passed since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol and two years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion and aggression against Ukraine.
Baltic ministers also stress that as the brutal war that has taken many Ukrainian lives and caused enormous human suffering and death continues, Russia plans to organise elections on dates that match the 10th anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea, which is considered yet another Russian provocation.
“Russia has announced plans to organise elections even in temporarily occupied and illegally annexed Ukrainian territories. It is difficult to perceive this step as anything other than yet another attempt to legalise the temporary occupation and annexation of Ukrainian territories,” the statement from Baltic ministers mentions.
Baltic ministers also stress that Russia’s decision to organise elections in the temporarily occupied and illegally annexed Ukrainian territories are a serious breach of international law, UN Charter and Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We do not and will not recognize the holding of such elections or their results in the territories temporarily occupied and illegally annexed by Russia in Ukraine. Russia has no legal basis for such action in the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. We strongly condemn these unacceptable decisions of Russia’s political leadership. Russian political leadership and those involved in organizing such activities will be responsible for the consequences of these illegal activities,” the statement continues.
Baltic ministers of foreign affairs emphasise that they strongly support the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. They note that Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk are Ukraine. Foreign ministers also point out that the upcoming presidential “elections” in Russia will be neither free nor fair.
“In conditions of total suppression of the opposition and independent media, without credible alternative candidates and international observation, these elections will have no democratic legitimacy. In the meantime, we confirm that Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania continue to comply with our international obligations to ensure the security of diplomatic missions and their personnel in our countries and will continue to do so,” the statement concludes.
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Baltic ministers: Russian presidential elections in occupied Ukrainian territories is a gross violation
