In a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff called the status of Ukrainian territories that Russia considers its own a "key issue in the conflict", referring to the "referendums" held there.
But none of these votes can be considered legitimate. They were held under occupation, without international observation, without public discussion, and under pressure from armed Russian troops.
In September 2022, Russia held so-called "referendums" in the occupied territories of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson Oblasts. As the UN, the European Union and the US State Department have stated, these "referendums" are illegal, held in flagrant violation of international law, and have no legal effect, as condemned by UN General Assembly Resolution ES-11/4.
Human Rights Watch and other independent sources documented numerous instances of coercion to vote, lack of anonymity, and military presence at "polling stations".
This practice is not new. In 2014, Russia organised a pseudo-referendum in Crimea, which was also condemned by the UN General Assembly in resolution 68/262, which reaffirmed Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
Such actions are not a manifestation of democracy, but an attempt to legalise the forcible seizure of territory. Legitimising them would mean accepting force as an argument that contradicts the foundations of the international order.
No decision about Ukraine's future can be based on falsified "referendums" held at gunpoint.
UkraineWorld encourages you to read more:
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 12 October 2022
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 27 March 2014
Human Rights Watch Ukraine Events of 2022
Fictitious Annexation Follows 'Voting' at Gunpoint
Human Rights Watch World Report 2023
This publication was compiled with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. It’s content is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Renaissance Foundation.
