BRUSSELS, December 13. /TASS/. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has condemned the upcoming presidential elections in Russia's new regions on March 15-17, 2024, and promised not to recognize their results, according to Borrell's statement distributed by the EU Foreign Policy Service.

In his opinion, potential Russian presidential elections in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, which he calls "temporarily occupied" territories, "grossly violate the UN Charter and Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia has no legitimate basis for any such action on the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine."

"The EU will never recognize the holding of Russia’s so-called ‘elections’ or their results in the territories of Ukraine. Russia’s political leadership and those involved in organizing them will face consequences of these illegal actions," Borrell believes.

Borrell once again pledged unwavering support for Kiev and called for the withdrawal of Russian troops and equipment from Ukrainian territory.