The European Union has said that it will not recognize "presidential" and "parliamentary" elections in the territories controlled by terrorist organizations "Donetsk People's Republic" and "Luhansk People's Republic," reports GHN based on Ukrinform.
The European External Action Service said this in a statement on Wednesday.
"The holding of 'presidential' and 'parliamentary' elections, called by the self-appointed authorities, would run counter to the letter and the spirit of the Minsk Protocol and disrupt progress towards finding a sustainable political solution in this framework. The EU would not recognize them," reads the statement.
The EU deplored Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's remarks "about Russia's forthcoming recognition of the elections 'on the territory of the proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics' in the context of the implementation of the Minsk Protocol.
European diplomats called on Russia to use its influence to help pave the way towards local elections in accordance with the Ukrainian law.