The leaders of the 27 EU member states issued a joint statement condemning the annexation of Ukrainian territories and the illegal joining of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
“We do not and will never recognize the illegal “referendums” organized by Russia as a pretext for further violation of the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, nor their falsified and illegal results. We will never recognize this illegal annexation. These decisions are invalid and cannot have any legal consequences,” the statement said.
EU countries also took new diplomatic steps towards Russia in response to the so-called referendums and illegal annexation and began summoning Russian diplomats. In particular, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Poland, Finland, Germany, etc. summoned the ambassadors of the Russian Federation.
Lithuania also summoned the ombudsman of the Russian Federation. In addition to the protest in connection with the annexation of the territories of Ukraine, Vilnius decided to declare the diplomat persona non grata.
