EU and Western governments condemn Russian Duma vote held on occupied Ukrainian territories, pledge sanctions
The European Union, individual member states and other Western governments condemned Russia's holding of State Duma elections on temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories on 18–20 September. The EU said it will never recognize either the vote or its results and announced sanctions on organizers, candidates who ran on occupied land, and those it holds responsible for undermining free and fair elections inside Russia. Estonia, Lithuania, France, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Romania and a five-country joint statement from the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway issued parallel condemnations.
Key points
- Russia held three-day State Duma elections on 18–20 September, including voting in Crimea, Sevastopol, and parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts.
- EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said on 21 September that the EU will never recognize the holding of these elections on occupied Ukrainian territory or their results.
- Kallas announced EU sanctions on persons involved in organizing the sham elections, candidates who ran on occupied territories, and those responsible for undermining free and fair elections in Russia.
- The EU condemned the barring of the Yabloko party — described as the only registered party with an anti-war platform — from the federal list, and Russia's refusal to invite OSCE observers.
- Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called the vote a 'political show' designed to entrench Vladimir Putin's power; Lithuania's Kęstutis Budrys said the elections were 'neither free nor fair' and Lithuania will never recognize the results.
- A joint statement from the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway called the vote a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and the UN Charter; France, Poland, Germany, Switzerland and Romania issued parallel condemnations.
- According to preliminary Russian Central Election Commission figures (over 95% of protocols processed), United Russia received 57.83% of the federal-list vote, the CPRF 13.81%, the LDPR 8.98% and New People 7.96%.
Why it matters
The EU formally committed to non-recognition of the Russian vote on occupied Ukrainian territory and to new sanctions — a step with concrete legal and diplomatic consequences, not merely rhetorical criticism. This was the first Russian parliamentary election held on occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, deepening Moscow's attempt to integrate those territories. Western governments explicitly framed the vote as undermining democracy inside Russia as well, citing the barring of the Yabloko party, the absence of OSCE observers and restrictions on independent media. The breadth of the response — the EU, Estonia, Lithuania, France, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Romania, and a joint statement from the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway — shows unusually broad international alignment against the move.
What happened
Russia held three-day elections to the State Duma on 18–20 September. For the first time, voting was also organized in parts of the occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, alongside the long-occupied territories of Crimea and Sevastopol. On 21 September, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas issued a statement on the EU's behalf condemning the vote on occupied Ukrainian territory as a flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter, and Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU said it will never recognize the holding of the elections on those territories or their results, and announced sanctions on persons involved in organizing the vote, on candidates who ran on occupied territory, and on those responsible for undermining free and fair elections inside Russia. The EU also criticized Russia's decision not to invite OSCE observers and to bar the Yabloko party — the only registered party with an explicit anti-war platform — from the federal list. Estonia, Lithuania, France, Poland, Germany, Switzerland and Romania issued parallel condemnations, and the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway issued a joint statement calling the vote a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and the UN Charter. According to preliminary Russian Central Election Commission figures with over 95% of protocols processed, United Russia received 57.83% of the federal-list vote, the CPRF 13.81%, the LDPR 8.98% and New People 7.96%.
Where reporting differs
Cited federal-list vote shares differ slightly between two preliminary Central Election Commission counts: with about 95.18% of protocols processed, United Russia had 57.83%, CPRF 13.81%, LDPR 8.98%, New People 7.96% and A Just Russia 4.96% (below the 5% threshold); with about 97.37% processed, United Russia had 57.96%, CPRF 13.67%, LDPR 8.96%, New People 7.91% and A Just Russia 5.1% (above the threshold). Estonian sources also describe Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna's framing with slightly different wording — 'political show' or 'political spectacle' — and refer to the vote's aim either as 'consolidating Putin's power' or 'further consolidating the regime of Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin.'
Background
Russia held three-day State Duma elections on 18–20 September, with voting also organized in Crimea, Sevastopol and parts of four occupied oblasts. Moscow did not invite OSCE observers to monitor the vote. Earlier, Russia's Supreme Court cancelled the registration of the Yabloko party's federal list, removing the only registered party with an explicit anti-war platform. On 20 September, occupation authorities in temporarily occupied Donetsk oblast closed polling stations early at 14:00, citing drone-attack threats.