The Experts for Security and Global Affairs Association (Romania), together with its partners, Promo-LEX Association (Republic of Moldova), European Initiative Liberal Academy Tbilisi (Georgia), and Ukrainian Institute for International Politics (Ukraine), expresses its condemnation of the strongest terms, of the decision of the President of the Russian Federation, Mr Vladimir Putin, to decree the annexation of the territories occupied by the Russian army as a result of the outbreak of the full-scale war against Ukraine. This war is unjustified and without any legal basis.
Recognizing the results of the so-called referendums for independence and joining as legal subjects of the Federation, the new territorial configuration of Russia represents a serious violation of the norms of international law, as they are stipulated in the UN Charter, which demonstrates the fact that the power policy from Moscow acts to the detriment of international order and peace.
Forced territorial annexation, revisionism and ethnic cleansing are elements of the past that Mr Putin is reviving as state policy for the Russian Federation, turning his own country into a pariah of the entire international architecture. In addition, we believe that the entire military and political leadership of the Russian Federation is guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the atrocities committed by Russian soldiers under the command of their superiors being widely documented by the international community.
Concomitantly, we express our deep concern about the effects of Mr Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine and the Western world, the food, economic and energy crises generated by this conflict affecting the lives of billions of people.
Our partners and we reiterate our support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, for the political and social order of this state, and for the right of Ukrainian citizens to decide for themselves their alliances, the way in international relations and dialogue and cooperation partners. Thus, we consider that the act of the President of the Russian Federation today cannot produce legal effects at the international level, as the annexed territory belongs de jure to Ukraine.
30 September 2022