New York, Oct. 12, 2022. Ukraine, Italy addresses UN General Assembly Emergency Special Session ahead of vote condemning Russia for “referendum – farce” and attempts to annex Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
“Italy unequivocally rejects and condemns Russia’s illegal attempt to annex the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. Such unilateral annexation is to be considered null and void, and cannot have any legal effect,” these are the words of Italy’s Permanent Representative to the UN Amb. Maurizio Massari. Italy does not and will never recognize the illegal attempt at annexation, just as it did not recognize the illegal attempt to annex Crimea.
“The referendums – farce in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia during its war of aggression constitute a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and blatantly break international law and the principles of the Helsinki Final Act,” Ambassador Massari continued, referring to the holding of such ‘referendums’ in the context of widespread human rights violations and intimidation by the illegitimately appointed authorities in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
“We must be united to resist Russia’s actions against a sovereign state and member of the United Nations and to uphold the principles of the UN Charter. I call on all member states to support the draft resolution and vote yes,” the Ambassador continued. A vote on the resolution — co-sponsored by some 70 countries, including the 27 EU member states — is scheduled for this afternoon in New York.
The Italian statement also expressed a strong condemnation of Russia’s brutal and indiscriminate attacks on many cities in Ukraine in recent days, and a call for Russia to end its military aggression, withdraw from all Ukrainian territories, and genuinely engage in diplomatic dialogue: “Italy expresses its support for urgent and concrete de-escalation and a peaceful solution respecting Ukrainian sovereignty and integrity. Russia must stop this senseless war, which is causing enormous human losses and having serious economic repercussions around the world, affecting the most vulnerable.”
