Josep Borrell Fontelles, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on Twitter that such actions are “another flagrant violation of the UA’s sovereignty”. He added that the move is part of “Russia’s illegal war” and that “the EU will not recognize these passports”.
Russia’s statements on May 25 and 30 simplified the process of obtaining Russian citizenship and issuing Russian passports to Ukrainian citizens.
The trials are aimed at Ukrainian residents of Kherson and Zaporizhzhya, two regions currently under Russian military control after their occupation.
The issuance of citizenship and passports also applies to Ukrainian children who do not have parental care and those who are legally incapacitated and who come from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya.
The High Representative of the European Union has strongly condemned such actions by Russia and the EU “will not recognize these passports issued as part of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.”
Other actions by Russia can be seen as an attempt to vigorously integrate the regions of Ukraine with Russia by forcing the use of the Russian language and currency in the institutions and regions.
Mr Fontelles’ statement read: “The European Union strongly condemns all attempts by Russia to replace democratically elected and legitimate Ukrainian governments.
“The European Union also condemns the attempts to introduce the Russian ruble as a parallel currency for the Ukrainian hryvnia, as well as the attempts to impose Russian curricula and educational materials and change the language of education in schools in those … regions that currently under the illegal control of the invading Russian forces.”
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The statement continued: “Any attempt to change the status of parts of Ukrainian territory is a clear violation of international law, the UN Charter and the Ukrainian Constitution, they further undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and will not be recognized by the European Union. †
The EU has vowed to hold the Russian leadership responsible for violations of international law and international humanitarian law.
He added that his full support for Ukraine and for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty continues to stand, and urged the Russian Federation to withdraw all troops and military equipment from Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.
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The British Ministry of Defense released an intelligence update on July 13 stating: “Russia continues to seek to undermine the legitimacy of the Ukrainian state and consolidate its own governance and administrative control over occupied parts of Ukraine.
“Recently this included an initiative to merge Russian and Ukrainian cities and regions to develop post-conflict administrations and a decree to make it easier for Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship.”