‘Putin's election’ cannot be recognized as legitimate - European Parliament
According to an Ukrinform correspondent, the resolution was supported by 493 deputies, while 11 voted against and 18 abstained.
The European Parliament calls on the EU Member States and the international community not to recognize the outcome of the Russian presidential election as legitimate. “As it was held in the illegally occupied territories of Ukraine, and, even within Russia, was neither free nor fair, did not meet the basic international electoral standards, and thus lacked democratic legitimacy,” the resolution says.
The resolution underscores that “the so-called presidential election was held in a severely restricted environment of systemic and grave repression and during the Russian Federation’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine”.
“The European Parliament urges to limit relations with Putin to matters necessary for regional peace as well as humanitarian and human rights purposes, for example prisoner exchanges, the return of deported children to Ukraine or calling on the release of political prisoners,” the resolution says.
The resolution underscores that holding an election in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia, namely in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, is a clear breach of Ukrainian sovereignty and a distinct violation of international law, in particular the UN Charter.
MEPs also deplored the fact that “the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, chose to break ranks with the EU and congratulate Vladimir Putin on his sham re-election”.
As reported by Ukrinform, voting in the so-called Russian presidential election took place during three days - from March 15 to 17. Based on the results, the Russian regime announced that Putin would remain in office for a fifth term.
The European Union condemned the pseudo-presidential elections in Russia, particularly in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, and will not recognize their results.
