EU will never recognize forceful integration of Ukrainian territories into Russia

Any attempts to alter the status of parts of Ukrainian territory are a clear violation of international law, the UN Charter and Ukraine’s Constitution, they further undermine sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and will not be recognized by the European Union.

That’s according to a Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU.

The European Union has also strongly condemned the Russian Presidential decrees of May 25 and May 30, simplifying the process for granting Russian citizenship and issuing Russian passports to Ukrainian citizens of the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions which are temporarily under military control of Russian invading troops, as well as to Ukrainian children without parental care and legally incapacitated persons from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions. The European Union says it will not recognize these passports, issued as part of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Read also: Putin’s focus on Donbas creates vulnerabilities in Kherson region – ISW

The Declaration notes that the EU “strongly condemns any attempts by Russia to replace democratically elected and legitimate Ukrainian administrations” and  the attempts “to introduce the Russian rouble as a parallel currency to the Ukrainian hryvnia as well as the attempts to impose Russian curricula and education materials and change the language of tuition in schools in those parts of Kherson and Zaporizhia regions” which are currently under the illegal control of invading Russian armed forces.

The European Union remains unwavering in its support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and urges the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

“Russia, its political leadership, and all those involved in violations of international law and international humanitarian law will be held accountable for these illegal actions,” the Declaration says.