Brussels -- The European Union has taken into consideration Russia's reaction to the so-called elections in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics, Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for EU Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, has said.
Kocijancic pointed out to the EU’s opinion of these elections as illegal and illegitimate, and which it does not recognize. She reiterated the EU’s call on Russia for promoting the implementation of the Minsk Protocol.
Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said earlier that, while Russia respected the choice of the Donbas people they made on November 2, to respect and to recognize are two different words. “Russia’s official position is expressed in the Foreign Ministry’s brief, but, meaningful statement on the outcomes of the elections. It uses the word ‘respect’,” Ushakov said on Friday.
Asked to clarify whether it would be safe to put an equal sign between the ‘respect’ and ‘recognition’ of the elections in Donbas, Ushakov replied: “These are different words. The word ‘respect’ was chosen for a reason. We respect the expression of the voters’ will as a matter of principle.”
Head of the EU Delegation to Russia Vygaudas Usackas said in Kaunas on November 3 that there was “a certain nuance” in Russia’s position concerning the voting in eastern Ukraine.
“They haven’t recognized the results of the elections at the moment, but they have stated officially that they will respect the people’s will and, second, that Russia will respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Therefore, there is a certain nuance in this respect,” Usackas said.
The EU diplomat said there were no reasons to lift the EU sanctions from Russia so far, but they are not an end in itself, and progress in the ceasefire implementation would enable a discussion on militating them.
