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President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia^*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia, and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

President,

The European Union strongly condemns the holding of illegitimate so-called “elections” in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol and in parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily occupied. It is yet another manifest violation by Russia of international law, including the UN Charter, and relevant GA resolutions, and of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU reiterates that it does not and will not recognise either the holding of these so-called “elections” or their results. All of the so-called ‘polls’, past and future, are null and void.

In 2022, the UN General Assembly decided by an overwhelming majority, that Russia’s attempts to hold illegal so-called referendums in parts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine had no validity under international law and do not form the basis for any alteration of the status of those regions of Ukraine. In 2014, the GA similarly decided that Russia’s referendums in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol had no validity and cannot form the basis for any alteration of the status of these regions.

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.

The human rights situation in the temporarily occupied territories remains of great concern. International monitoring mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission and the UN Commission of Inquiry – which issued its latest report today-, have concluded that Russia has committed a wide range of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in Ukraine. The EU fully supports the work of the UN to monitor and report on human rights violations and abuses and to support efforts towards accountability. 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. Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, has the obligation to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law.

I reaffirm the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders as well as its inherent right of self-defence.

President,

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.

I thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.