Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on Crimea
One year on
from the holding of the illegal and illegitimate "referendum" and the
subsequent illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian
Federation, the European Union remains firmly committed to Ukraine's sovereignty
and territorial integrity.
The European
Union does not recognise and continues to condemn
this act of violation of international law. The illegal annexation of Crimea
and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation is also a direct challenge to
international security, with grave implications for the international legal
order that protects the unity and sovereignty of all states.
The European
Union will remain committed to fully implement its non-recognition policy,
including through restrictive measures. The EU calls again on UN Member States
to consider similar non-recognition measures in line with the UNGA Resolution
68/262.
The EU
reaffirms its deep concern at the continuous military build-up and
deterioration of the human rights situation in the Crimean peninsula, including
the denial of free speech and the persecution of persons belonging to
minorities. The European Union reiterates its call to provide international
human rights actors with full, free and unrestricted access to the whole
territory of Ukraine, including Crimea and Sevastopol.
European Council
Council of the European Union