Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Serbia Do Not Recognize Russia's Organized Referendums

Kazakhstan, Serbia, and Turkey have announced that they do not recognize the results of the "referendums" organized by the Russian side in eastern and southern Ukraine, according to reports by Ukrainian media outlet RFI.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan stated that Kazakhstan does not recognize the "referendums" taking place in four partially occupied regions of Ukraine. "Regarding the self-proclaimed entities of Luhansk and Donetsk, as well as the military administrations in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Kazakhstan adheres to the principles of territorial integrity of states, their sovereign equality, and peaceful coexistence," the ministry said.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu reiterated that Turkey does not recognize the results of the "referendums" taking place in southern and eastern Ukraine, just as it does not recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea.

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selaković stated the day before that Belgrade also does not recognize the results of the "referendums" conducted by the Russian occupying side in Ukraine. He emphasized that recognizing the fictitious "referendums" would be completely contrary to Serbia’s interests and would contradict the national policy of territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as adherence to the principle of inviolability of borders.

It is worth noting that earlier, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and other countries declared they would not recognize the results of the "referendums" held in eastern and southern Ukraine. New sanctions against Russia are being prepared in connection with the annexation of new territories in Ukraine.