The United States, in alignment with European allies and partners, has condemned the elections held on November 11 in eastern Ukraine, territories controlled by Russia. These elections are described as illegitimate and an effort by Moscow to formalize its control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions through proxies. The U.S. Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert stated that these entities have no standing within the Minsk agreements or Ukraine's constitutional framework and should be dismantled along with illegal armed groups.
Nauert further emphasized that if Russia intended for these elections to gain international recognition for its proxies, it was mistaken. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) refused to monitor the elections, which were criticized internationally, including at the UN Security Council and OSCE meetings. Both the United States and the European Union have opposed this breach of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The statement reaffirmed that sanctions related to Ukraine will remain in place against Russia until it fully complies with the Minsk agreements and returns Crimea to Ukrainian control.