NATO Allies Reject Russian Referenda in Ukraine
The Allies say Russia has it in its hands to end the conflict and it must immediately stop this war and withdraw from Ukraine.
The North Atlantic Council has condemned the plan to hold so-called “referenda” on joining the Russian Federation in the Ukrainian regions partly controlled by the Russian military.
As the UN General Assembly reaffirmed in its resolution “Aggression against Ukraine” adopted on 2 March 2022, the Council said no territorial acquisition resulting from the threat or use of force shall be recognized as legal.
According to their statement of September 22, NATO Allies say they do not and will never recognize Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea. Sham referenda in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions of Ukraine have no legitimacy and will be a blatant violation of the UN Charter, they asserted.
The statement adds that NATO Allies will not recognize the regions’ illegal and illegitimate annexation as these regions belong to Ukraine. They call on all states to reject Russia’s blatant attempts at territorial conquest.
These Russian decisions, including a partial military mobilization, are a further escalation in Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. The Allies say they continue to reject Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and Russia bears full responsibility for the war, the immense suffering its aggression is bringing upon the Ukrainian people, as well as the cost of its war including for the Russian people now being mobilized.
The Allies say Russia has it in its hands to end the conflict and it must immediately stop this war and withdraw from Ukraine. “We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and for Ukraine’s inherent right to self-defence. NATO Allies remain resolute in providing political and practical support to Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia’s aggression,” the NATO said in its statement.
NATO says it is a defensive Alliance and will continue to strive for peace, security, and stability in the whole of the Euro-Atlantic area while it stands united to defend and protect every inch of Allied territory.
Courtesy: NATO
