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The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regrets that in spite of the international community’s warnings, an illegal vote was hastily carried out as referendums in eastern Ukraine, which violated international law and the Constitution of Ukraine. This voting has no legal effect and is not legally binding. It has only led to rising tensions in eastern Ukraine. We call on the people in eastern Ukraine to take advantage of the possibility of an overall national dialogue, which has been offered by the Ukrainian Government, and to voice their concerns legally to representatives of the authorities who have the decision-making power.

We call on Russia to contribute towards the settlement of the situation in Ukraine not only with loud statements, but with concrete actions – to stop the annexation of Crimea, to pullback its troops from the Ukrainian border and to publicly condemn the acts of armed separatists in Ukraine’s southeast. The participation of the Russian Government in events demonstrating military power in occupied Crimea has been condemned by the international community as indecent behaviour. Such demonstrations of military force and military parades at the time when people are perishing in Ukraine do not really contribute to the de-escalation of the situation, as was promised by the Russian leadership during meetings with representatives of international organizations.

We support the initiative of the Ukrainian Government to organise the national dialogue. We invite all political actors in Ukraine to refrain from any violence or provocative actions and to prepare for the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine with responsibility, because this will build a free, democratic, and prosperous future for a unified Ukraine. Lithuania is ready to share its experience in organising elections with Ukraine, to send election observers, as well as to otherwise contribute to holding democratic and transparent presidential elections in Ukraine.