Europe condemns elections in LPR and DPR
The governments of five countries in the EU Security Council released an official statement that they fully support Kyiv in recognizing the illegitimacy of the elections scheduled for November 11 in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces of Ukraine.
In the statement, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the UK state that the EU’s stance on developments in Ukraine “remains unchanged”. The EU “unequivocally supports the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” within its internationally recognized borders.
The authors condemned the holding of illegal “elections” in the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (LPR and DPR).
“If these illegitimate ‘elections’ are still held, it will be a violation of the Minsk agreements and of the laws of Ukraine. Any such illegal elections are incompatible with the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” the statement reads.
The authors urge the international community not to recognize the results of the illegal elections, and exhort the separatists to call off the voting. The European countries also ask Russia to influence the leaders of the LPR and DPR in order to prevent the elections from being held.
“We welcome the extension of the Ukrainian law on the special status of the Donbas, and urge all parties, especially the Russia-backed separatists, to adhere to the agreements stated in the Minsk agreements, starting with a complete ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy military equipment,” the document states.
The authors urge Russia to stop provide financial and military support to the separatists, and to withdraw its soldiers and military equipment from Ukraine’s territory.
In September, the upcoming Donbas elections were also condemned by the US government. US Secretary of State Heather Nauert said that “real elections are impossible and grossly violate Russia’s obligations according to the Minsk agreements”.