The EU has rejected the results of so-called presidential elections held on 18 September 2026 in South Ossetia, a Russia-occupied breakaway region of Georgia, calling the vote “null and void."
The EU said in a statement on Saturday it did not recognise the “constitutional and legal frameworks” under which the elections were organised, including “recent amendments”, in the territory it described as occupied.
It condemned what it called actions by Moscow to have a Russian official appointed as the region’s *de facto* president, according to the statement issued on behalf of the EU by High Representative Kaja Kallas.
The EU also deplored the signing of a so-called treaty on “Deepening of Allied Interaction” on 9 May 2026.
Calls for Russia to respect Georgia’s borders
The EU said Russia was attempting to consolidate control by incorporating South Ossetia into Russia’s political, military, economic and judicial spheres.
The bloc said these steps ran counter to peaceful conflict resolution and violated international law, adding that they endangered regional security and stability.
It reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Georgia through its co-chair role in the Geneva International Discussions and via the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia, known as EUMM.
Russia was urged to respect Georgia’s sovereignty and cease activities that undermine the country’s territorial integrity.
The EU reiterated its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
