13/12/2023 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 12 December, the EU’s High Representative, Josep Borrell, condemned the announcement by Russia’s Central Election Commission that the March 2024 presidential elections would also be held in the Ukrainian territories “temporarily” occupied by Russia. In his view, this is a “new attempt by Russia to legitimise its temporary and illegal annexation of Ukraine’s territories”. “The so-called ‘elections’ grossly violate the United Nations Charter and Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia has no legitimate basis for any such action on the internationally recognised territory of Ukraine”, he stressed. Mr Borrell warned that the EU would “never” recognise the holding of Russian elections or their results on Ukrainian territory, and that Russian political leaders and those involved in organising them would suffer the consequences of these illegal actions. (CG)