On Friday 3 June, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell strongly condemned on behalf of the EU the Russian presidential decrees of 25 and 30 May, which simplify the procedure for granting Russian citizenship and issuing Russian passports to Ukrainian citizens in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which are temporarily under Russian military control.
The same applies to Ukrainian children without parental care and legally incapacitated persons in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
“The European Union will not recognise these passports, issued as part of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”, Mr Borrell warned in a statement, strongly condemning any attempt by Russia to replace legitimate and democratically elected Ukrainian administrations.
The EU also condemns attempts to introduce the Russian rouble as a parallel currency to the Ukrainian hryvnia, to impose Russian curricula and teaching materials, and to change the language of instruction in schools in parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions currently under Russian control.
“Any attempts to alter the status of parts of Ukrainian territory are a clear violation of international law, (...) undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and will not be recognised by the EU”, the High Representative of the Union warns. He added that Russia, its political leaders, and all those involved in violations of international law and international humanitarian law will be held accountable for these illegal actions. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)