On Friday, European Union leaders vowed they would “never recognize” Russia’s illegal annexation of four other Ukrainian regions and accused the Kremlin of being a threat to global security.
“We strongly reject and categorically condemn Russia’s illegal annexation of the Donetsk, Luhansk (Luhansk), Zaporizhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine,” the 27 leaders said in a statement.
The announcement came as President Vladimir Putin formally signed an agreement that would see the four regions join Russia.
“Russia endangers global security,” EU leaders said, accusing Moscow of “deliberately undermining the rules-based international order and violating Ukraine’s fundamental rights (to enjoy) independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, which are fundamental principles enshrined in the UN Charter.” and international law.
The leaders also denounced the “illegal” referenda organized by the Kremlin to justify land grabs and called on “all countries and international organizations to categorically reject this illegal annexation.”
The four regions form an important land corridor between Russia and Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.
“All these decisions are invalid and cannot have any legal consequences. Crimea, Kherson, Zaporozhye, Donetsk and Luhansk are all Ukrainian,” the bloc said in a statement.
The EU stressed its commitment to support Ukraine’s “legitimate right” to regain control over all of its territory within its internationally recognized borders.
Putin warned that he could use nuclear weapons to keep control of these territories over Russian forces.
“Nuclear threats emanating from the Kremlin, military mobilization, the strategy of misrepresenting Ukrainian territory as Russian and presenting the war as now taking place on Russian soil will not affect our resolve,” the EU leaders said.
The European Union has imposed an unprecedented series of sanctions against Moscow in response to its war in Ukraine and has spent billions of euros to support Kyiv with weapons.
The European Union is currently considering a series of economic measures against the Kremlin, targeting nearly $7 billion worth of Russian exports and seeking to cap the price of Russian oil.
“We will strengthen our restrictive measures to counter Russia’s illegal actions. This will further increase pressure on Russia to end its war of aggression,” the statement said.
