Baltic states condemn Russia's intention to hold presidential elections in Ukraine's occupied territories

The Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian foreign ministers have condemned Russia's intention to hold presidential "elections" in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

In the Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania on Russia’s upcoming presidential elections, Latvia's Krišjānis Kariņš, Lithuania's Gabrielius Landsbergis and Estonia's Margus Tsahkna declared that the Russian elections in the occupied territories constitute a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and international law.

"We do not and will not recognise the holding of such elections or their results in Ukraine’s territories temporarily occupied and illegally annexed by Russia. Russia has no legitimate basis for any such action on the internationally recognised territory of Ukraine. We strongly condemn these unacceptable decisions by Russia’s political leadership," the statement reads.

The foreign ministers of the Baltic states noted that Russia's political leadership and those involved in organising such actions would be brought to justice for the consequences.

"The upcoming presidential "elections" in Russia will be neither free nor fair. In the environment of total crackdown on opposition and independent media, with lack of credible alternative candidates and without the international monitoring, these elections will lack any democratic legitimacy," the statement added.

Earlier, the Estonian General Staff noted that Russia's presidential election, scheduled for March, will have an impact on the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry has allowed Russia to open only one polling station on its territory – at the Russian embassy in Tallinn – for the sham "presidential elections" in March 2024.

Last year, on behalf of the European Union, EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell condemned Russia's plans to hold presidential elections on 15-17 March 2024, including in the occupied territories of Ukraine.