LOC22:22
19:22 GMT
NATO headquarters in Brussels
BRUSSELS, Sept 22 (KUNA) -- NATO Thursday condemned "in the strongest possible terms the plan to hold so-called referenda" in occupied Ukrainian territories at the weekend on joining the Russian Federation and reiterated the Allianceآ’s practical and political support to Ukraine.
"Sham referenda in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions of Ukraine have no legitimacy and will be a blatant violation of the UN Charter," said the 30-member Alliance in a statement this evening.
"NATO Allies will not recognize their illegal and illegitimate annexation. These lands are Ukraine. We call on all states to reject Russiaآ’s blatant attempts at territorial conquest," it said.
"NATO Allies remain resolute in providing political and practical support to Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russiaآ’s aggression," stressed the statement.
"These Russian decisions, including on a partial military mobilisation, are a further escalation in Russiaآ’s illegal war against Ukraine. We continue to reject Russiaآ’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric," it said.
NATO called on Russia to immediately stop this war and withdraw from Ukraine. (end)
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