Decision 2022/2512 - Non-acceptance of travel documents of Russia issued in Ukraine and Georgia - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 326/1

In reaction to the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation (Russia) in 2014 and to its continued destabilising actions in eastern Ukraine, the Union has already introduced economic sanctions linked to the incomplete implementation of the agreements signed in Minsk under the auspices of the OSCE’s Trilateral Contact Group in response to the crisis in and around Ukraine (the ‘Minsk Agreements’), sanctions with regard to actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, and sanctions in response to the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by Russia.

As a signatory to the Minsk agreements, Russia has a clear and direct responsibility to work towards finding a peaceful settlement of the conflict in line with the principles set out in the Minsk Agreements. With the decision to recognise the non-government controlled regions of eastern Ukraine as independent entities, Russia has clearly violated the Minsk Agreements, which stipulate the full return of those regions to the control of the Ukrainian government. That decision and the ensuing decision to send Russian troops into those regions further undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence and constitute a severe breach of international law and international agreements, including the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Paris Charter and the Budapest Memorandum.

On 24 February 2022, the European Council, together with its international partners, condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and expressed full solidarity with Ukraine and its people. Furthermore, the European Council, in its conclusions of 24 February 2022, demanded that Russia immediately cease its military actions, unconditionally withdraw all its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within its internationally recognised borders. That position was reiterated by the European Council in its conclusions of 25 March 2022, 31 May 2022 and 24 June 2022.

With regard to Georgia, on 1 September 2008 the European Council, in the Presidency conclusions of the extraordinary European Council, strongly condemned Russia’s unilateral decision to recognise the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and urged other countries not to recognise their independence.

A military aggression which takes place in a country bordering the Union, such as that which has occurred in Ukraine and which has given rise to the restrictive measures, justifies measures designed to protect the essential security interests of the Union and its Member States.

Since the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol on 18 March 2014, Russia has issued Russian international passports to residents of those territories. On 24 April 2019, the President of Russia signed a decree simplifying the procedure for residents of the...