EU rejects Russian polls in occupied Ukraine, vows sanctions

The European Union on Monday rejected Russia's parliamentary elections held in occupied Ukrainian territories and warned that those involved in organizing the votes would face punitive measures, describing the polls as a violation of international law and Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Rejection of votes in annexed regions

The State Duma elections, conducted from Sept. 18 to 20 in annexed Crimea and Sevastopol as well as occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, drew swift condemnation from Brussels. "The European Union reiterates that it does not and will never recognise either the holding of these so-called 'elections' in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or their results," the bloc said in a statement issued by its foreign policy chief.

The EU described the votes as a breach of the UN Charter and a threat to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The elections highlighted the "continued and deepening erosion of democracy" in Russia, the statement added.

Sanctions threat and electoral conditions

Officials in Brussels warned that sanctions would target those who organized the polls in Ukrainian territories as well as individuals responsible for undermining free and fair electoral conditions inside Russia. The measures would extend to candidates who stood for election in the occupied regions, according to the statement.

The bloc also criticized Russian authorities for excluding opposition forces, misusing administrative and judicial resources, and restricting access to independent information. The exclusion of candidates from the Yabloko party's federal list further limited voters' choices, with the EU describing Yabloko as one of Russia's last remaining opposition forces and its only party with an anti-war platform.

Call for ceasefire and observer access

The 27-member bloc accused Moscow of failing to invite observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to monitor the electoral process. It urged Russia to accept a "full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire" in the war with Ukraine.

The EU called for the withdrawal of all Russian forces and military equipment from Ukrainian territory, reiterating its support for Kyiv's sovereignty.