Like several European countries, Austria also summoned the Russian ambassador on Monday. “The responsible section chief conveyed to him unequivocally Austria’s firm rejection and strong condemnation of the illegal annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhia after the false illegal referendums held by Russia,” the Foreign Ministry said after Dmitry Lyubinsky was called up.
Austria “will never recognize the illegal annexation by Russia. This decision is null and void and cannot and will not have any legal effect,” a spokesperson stressed in a statement. “Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk and Luhansk form part of Ukraine, which has Austria’s full support for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”
Concerted action by European states
Russia was asked to withdraw its troops and military equipment “immediately, completely and unconditionally” from the entire territory of Ukraine. Austria also appealed to the Russian leadership to fulfill its responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and return to the negotiating table.
“Russia endangers global security by intentionally undermining the rules-based international order and by flagrant violations of Ukraine’s fundamental rights enshrined in international law and the Charter of the United Nations,” the statement said.
Other EU countries such as Poland, Germany, Belgium and Italy also summoned the Russian ambassador. The Foreign Ministry in Warsaw informed Ambassador Sergei Andreyev about Poland’s position on Russia’s illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions, a spokesman said, according to the German Press Agency (dpa). This was an action by several EU countries, which agreed to make their position clear to Russian ambassadors at about the same time.