In a message addressed to European citizens, European Council President Charles Michel said Putin’s move was “designed to intensify the nuclear threat against the rest of the world” and should be considered “an aggression against our fundamental freedoms and democratic principles”.
European Council President Charles Michel condemned Russia's annexation of four regions of Ukraine in a video message on Friday, saying the EU would never recognise them.
“It is a dangerous and irresponsible escalation. It's designed as a step to intensify the nuclear threat against the rest of the world. The European Union unequivocally rejects and condemns these illegal annexations,” Mr Michel said.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the Netherlands will not accept Russia's annexation of Ukrainian regions, announced by President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
“The Netherlands will never recognize this annexation, just as we don't recognise the annexation of Crimea,” Mr Rutte told journalists in The Hague.
“The world will not accept [Russian President Vladimir] Putin pushing recognised borders with a stroke of the pen. We continue to put pressure on Russia in every possible way to stop Putin's war machine.”
At a ceremony on Friday, Mr Putin said Russia has “four new regions”, calling the residents of Ukraine’s occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions “our citizens forever”.
#eudebates the unique initiative aiming to promote debate, dialogue, knowledge, participation and communication among citizens. #Michel #NATO #Russia #annexation #referendums #Luhansk #Donetsk #Kherson,#Zaporizhzhia
President Putin has decided on Russia's illegal annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. This annexation follows sham referenda and constitutes a dangerous and irresponsible escalation. It is designed as a step to intensify the nuclear threat against the rest of the world.
The European Union unequivocally rejects and condemns these illegal annexations. It will never recognise them, just as it did not recognise the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Once again, the Kremlin is trampling on the UN Charter and the international order.
To the Ukrainian people, I want to say this: the European Union is and will remain resolutely on your side. You are defending the territorial integrity of your country, you are defending the future of your children. And you are defending our common universal values of freedom and dignity.
I also want to send a message to the citizens of the European Union. Ukraine and Ukrainians are under attack, and this attack is also an aggression against our fundamental freedoms and democratic principles. Russia is firing missiles at Ukrainians and Russia has launched an “energy missile” at Europe, targeting the heart of our economic and social system.
The damage is severe. Energy is expensive. Every household in Europe is affected by soaring energy bills and supermarket receipts. And this will have a lasting impact on all of us.
That is why a new Energy Union must be developed now, with a real common strategy. Because there is no alternative, if we want to guarantee security of supply, affordable prices, and the climate transition. Today, all of us, we must understand that we have entered a new world, where many of our points of reference have been turned upside down. We must face this situation with clarity.
Russia has decided on a massive mobilisation to increase its war effort tenfold. We Europeans must also mobilise. Not for war, but rather to preserve peace, to protect our security and to guarantee the future of our children. Citizens, companies, political and social leaders: all of us, everyone has a responsibility to assume, a role to play.
We are strong. We will stick together. The European Union is taking action. The European Union protects and does so with all the necessary means. We will mobilise together. And no one will be left behind. Thank you.
