Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper), The presidential elections held by Russia on 15-17 March took place in a “highly restricted environment”, says the EU’s foreign affairs chief.
Speaking on Monday, Josep Borrell said this was “exacerbated also by Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.”
Vladimir Putin, on Sunday, said Russia would not be “intimidated” as he hailed an election victory that paves the way for the former spy to become the longest-serving Russian leader in more than 200 years.
He sought to defend the legitimacy of the poll and said, “No matter who or how much they want to intimidate us, no matter who or how much they want to suppress us, our will, our consciousness — no one has ever succeeded in anything like this in history.
“It has not worked now and will not work in the future. Never,” he added.
With more than 99 percent of voting stations having submitted results, Putin had secured 87 percent of all votes cast, official election data showed, according to state news agency RIA.
On Monday, a statement by Borrell, who was speaking on behalf of the EU, reacted to the election and said the “Russian authorities have continued to increase the systematic internal repression by cracking down on opposition politicians, civil society organizations, independent media, and other critical voices with the use of repressive legislation and politically motivated prison sentences.”
It went on, “The shocking death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny in the run-up to the elections is yet another sign of the accelerating and systematic repression.
“The elections took place in an ever-shrinking political space, which has resulted in an alarming increase of violations of civil and political rights, and precluded many candidates from running, including all those opposed to Russia’s illegal war of aggression, deprived Russian voters of a real choice and heavily limited their access to accurate information.”
The statement added, “The European Union will continue to support the important work of Russian civil society organizations, human rights defenders and independent media.
“The European Union regrets the decision of Russian authorities not to invite OSCE/ODIHR observers to its elections. This runs contrary to Russia’s OSCE commitments and has denied Russia’s voters and institutions an impartial and independent assessment of these elections.”
Borrell, a former MEP, said, “Furthermore, the European Union strongly condemns the illegal holding of so-called “elections” in the territories of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily occupied: the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, as well as in parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. The so-called “elections” in these territories represent yet another manifest violation by Russia of international law, including the UN Charter, and of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it said.
Referring to the two UNGA Resolutions of 12 October 2022 and 27 March 2014, Borrell said, “We urge Russia to respect Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders and sovereignty. The European Union reiterates that it does not and will never recognize either the holding of these so-called “elections” in the territories of Ukraine or their results. They are null and void and cannot produce any legal effect whatsoever. Russia’s political leadership and those involved in organizing them will face consequences of these illegal actions.”
Borrell, in the statement, added, “The European Union reiterates its unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Russia must cease its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw its military forces and equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine.”
At a press conference, President Putin referred to Navalny by name for the first time since his death, saying he had supported a proposal to release him in exchange for prisoners held in Western countries.
“The person who was talking to me hadn’t finished his sentence and I said ‘I agree’,” said Putin, who returned to the presidency in 2012 and won a fourth term in 2018.
For President Putin, it is clear that the outcome of the election is intended to remind the West that its leaders will have to reckon with a confident Russia, whether in war or in peace, for many more years to come.
