European countries decry breach of Ukraine's sovereignty after 'illegal' elections in Russian-occupied regions

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – European countries on Monday decried the holding of just-concluded Russian presidential elections in regions occupied by Russia as an illegal breach of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

"France also condemns the fact that Russia organized a so-called 'election' in the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia: in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as part of the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Crimea and Sevastopol have been occupied by Russia since 2014, in a move some observers see as a prelude to the current war. The other areas, in eastern Ukraine, were illegally annexed by Russia in September 2022, just months after it attacked Ukraine that February, starting the ongoing war. Most members of the international community, including Türkiye, do not recognize the illegal annexation.

"The illegal organization of a so-called 'election' in the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia constitutes a further violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations," the ministry added, vowing to never recognize "the holding of this so-called 'election' and its results."

Paris also denounced a lack of pluralism and democracy during the elections in Russia, mentioning how "opposition figure Alexei Navalny died a few weeks before this election."

"Candidates opposed to continuing the war in Ukraine were not allowed to compete in the election, significantly reducing its level of pluralism," the statement said.

France also criticized how despite its international commitments, "Russia decided not to invite" international observers.

- 'Abhorrent violation'

"Holding elections on Ukrainian territory … is an abhorrent violation of the UN Charter and Ukrainian sovereignty," British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a statement.

Expressing support for Ukraine and its sovereignty, Cameron also denounced "the depth of repression under President Putin’s regime, which seeks to silence any opposition to his illegal war. "

Cameron also criticized a lack of democracy "with only 3 Kremlin-approved challengers."

- 'Neither free nor fair' elections

Germany said the presidential elections in Russia were "neither free nor fair" and condemned voting in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

Government spokesman Christiane Hoffmann told reporters that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will not congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his reelection.

"As you know, we think that the so-called election in Russia last weekend was neither free nor fair," she told a press conference in Berlin, adding that "it was not a democratic election" and "no real opposition candidates" were allowed.

Calling Russia "a dictatorship," Hoffmann said Germany also condemns voting in occupied Ukrainian regions.

"Of course, we do not recognize this in any way, and only Ukraine would have the right to hold elections on this territory. That is our assessment of this so-called election, and that is why the chancellor did not congratulate Putin," she said.

Putin got 87.32% of the vote in Russia's three-day presidential election, with 99.75% of ballots counted, the head of country’s election authority confirmed on Monday.