Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed so-called “accession treaties” formalising Russia’s illegal annexation of four occupied regions in Ukraine, the largest forced takeover of territory in Europe since World War II.
This flagrant defiance of international law has been unequivocally rejected by the European Union and allies of liberal democracy worldwide. In a statement released today by European Council President Charles Michel, Members of the European Council said:
“We do not and will never recognise the illegal ‘referenda’ that Russia has engineered as a pretext for this further violation of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor their falsified and illegal results. We will never recognise this illegal annexation. These decisions are null and void and cannot produce any legal effect whatsoever. Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk are Ukraine.”
Commenting further on the unequivocal EU support for Ukraine, Michel added:
“To the Ukrainian people, I want to say this: the European Union is and will remain resolutely on your side. You are defending the territorial integrity of your country. You are defending the future of your children. And you are defending our common universal values of freedom and dignity.”
You can watch Michel’s full remarks below or on Twitter.
European liberals have stood by the people of Ukraine since day one of Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression again Ukraine. ALDE Party co-President Ilhan Kyuchyuk joined the international community in condemning Putin’s sham referenda and illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory, stating:
“Donetsk is Ukraine. Kherson is Ukraine. Luhansk is Ukraine. Zaporizhzhia is Ukraine. Crimea is Ukraine. We will never recognise these territories as part of Russia. Our support for President Zelenskyy remains undeterred.”
Source: Aldeparty