21/09/2026
Share:
21/09/2026
Share:
BRUSSELS, Sept 21 — The European Union on Monday rejected Russia’s parliamentary elections held in occupied Ukrainian territories and warned that those involved in organizing or participating in the votes could face sanctions.
The Russian State Duma elections, held from Sept. 18 to 20, demonstrated what the EU described as the “continued and deepening erosion of democracy” in Russia, the bloc’s foreign policy chief said in a statement issued on behalf of the 27 member states.
The EU “unequivocally” condemned the holding of what it called “so-called elections” in annexed Crimea and Sevastopol, as well as in Russian-controlled parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
The bloc said the voting violated international law, including the UN Charter, as well as Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The European Union reiterates that it does not and will never recognise either the holding of these so-called ‘elections’ in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or their results,” the statement said.
The EU said sanctions would target individuals involved in organizing the votes or standing as candidates in the occupied Ukrainian territories, as well as those responsible for undermining free and fair elections inside Russia.
It also accused Russian authorities of excluding opposition forces, misusing administrative and judicial resources and restricting access to independent information.
The bloc cited the exclusion of candidates from the Yabloko party’s federal list as further evidence of restricted voter choice. It described Yabloko as one of Russia’s remaining opposition forces and the only party on the federal ballot with an anti-war platform.
The EU also criticized Moscow for not inviting observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The bloc called on Russia to accept a “full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire” in Ukraine and withdraw all Russian forces and military equipment from Ukrainian territory.
China says Russian election results reflect ‘will of the people’
Meanwhile, China on Monday congratulated Russia on the conclusion of its parliamentary elections, saying the results represented the “will of the Russian people.”
“China congratulates Russia on the smooth conclusion of the Russian State Duma elections,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters.
“The elections are a major event in Russia's political calendar, the results of which represent the will of the Russian people,” Guo said, adding that China supports Russia’s “independent choice” and is ready to work with Moscow to advance bilateral relations.
Preliminary results from Russia’s Central Election Commission showed the ruling United Russia party taking an early lead and heading toward a constitutional majority.
With 93% of ballots counted by Monday morning, United Russia had secured 57.83% of the vote, compared with 49.82% in the 2021 parliamentary election. Its candidates were also leading in 208 of the 225 single-member constituencies.
The three-day election for the 450-seat State Duma ended Sunday, with turnout approaching 57%, compared with 51.72% in 2021, according to the commission.
More than 111 million voters were eligible to participate in voting held at polling stations and through remote electronic voting.
The election was Russia’s first parliamentary vote since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022. Voting was also conducted in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine, a move rejected by Kyiv and condemned by the EU and other Western governments.
