Separatist-planned east Ukraine elections 'illegitimate'
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Visegrad Group and the UK Foreign Secretary criticise planned illegitimate 'elections' in Ukraine
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Visegrad Group countries together with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland deplore the decision of the separatists to hold local elections in the Donbas Region on 2 November 2014.
The Ministers consider such “elections” illegitimate and contradictory to the Minsk Protocol signed on 5 September 2014. We call on all parties to observe the Minsk Protocol and the Minsk Memorandum and to act towards the peaceful solution of the conflict and restoring stability based upon the full respect of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Simultaneously we call upon the Russian Federation to significantly contribute to the peaceful solution of the conflict by refusing to acknowledge such “elections”. The only elections that have legitimacy in Ukraine are those held under Ukrainian law.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Visegrad Group countries together with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom reiterate that a peaceful solution to the crisis in Ukraine must be based solely on the principle of respecting Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised border.
Notes to editors
- The Visegrad Group countries are the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.
Further information
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