France not to recognize Russian elections held in occupied Ukrainian territories

France has announced that it will not recognize the elections held in occupied Ukrainian territories by Russia. According to a statement from France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the elections are seen as a violation of international law and the UN Charter. The French Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the conditions under which the elections were held in Russia, stating that they did not allow Russian citizens to freely form and express their choice.

They noted increased repression of civil society and the opposition, exclusion of political parties, growing restrictions on freedom of speech, and banning of independent media outlets. Paris also condemned Russia's opening of polling stations in occupied separatist regions of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Moldova's Transnistria, without the consent of Georgian and Moldovan authorities.

The Lindsey Graham Act, adopted on September 16, was welcomed by France as evidence of strong support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, reiterated that the EU would never recognize the Russian "elections" held in occupied Ukrainian territories.

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