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EU Says It Will Never Recognize Russia’s State Duma Vote in Temporarily Occupied Ukraine
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The European Union stated on September 21 that it will never recognize Russia’s State Duma elections held in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories or their results.
In a statement issued by the High Representative on behalf of the EU, the bloc condemned Russia’s organization of voting in temporarily occupied Crimea and Sevastopol, as well as parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
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The EU "does not and will never recognize either the holding of these so-called 'elections' in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or their results," according to the statement.
Voting in the temporarily occupied territories was part of Russia’s State Duma elections held from September 18 to 20.
The EU said the elections took place amid what it described as a continued erosion of democracy in Russia and an increasingly authoritarian political environment.
The bloc pointed to the exclusion of Yabloko candidates from the federal list, describing Yabloko as one of Russia’s last remaining opposition forces and the only party with an anti-war platform. According to the EU, the decision further limited voters’ choices.
The EU also cited reports by independent analysts and observers of extensive use of administrative and judicial resources to exclude opponents of Russia’s war against Ukraine and restrict access to independent information.
The bloc separately criticized Russia for not inviting observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, saying the decision deprived voters and institutions of an impartial and independent assessment of the elections.
The EU reiterated that temporarily occupied territories are part of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and said it would continue supporting Russian civil society organizations, human rights defenders, and independent media.
Those involved in organizing elections or running for office in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories will face EU sanctions, according to the statement.
The bloc said sanctions would also target those responsible for undermining the possibility of free and fair elections inside Russia.
The EU called on Russia to respect Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders and sovereignty, agree to a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire, and withdraw its military forces and equipment from Ukrainian territory.
Ahead of the vote, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) urged residents of the temporarily occupied territories not to take part, in a statement issued on September 14.
The agency described the ballot as an attempt by Russia to legitimize the Kremlin regime in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories and gather votes for pro-government political forces.
The SBU recalled the pseudo-referendum staged in September 2022 in temporarily occupied parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, as well as the so-called regional elections held in temporarily occupied territories in 2023.
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The agency said participation in organizing and conducting illegal elections or referendums in temporarily occupied territory, or publicly calling for them to be held, carries criminal liability under Article 111-1.5 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code.
The offense is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and confiscation of property.
The agency described the ballot as an attempt by Moscow to legitimize its presence and gather votes for pro-Kremlin forces.
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