France slams Russia’s referendums in Ukraine, threatens more sanctions

PARIS

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Tuesday denounced the referendums held in the breakaway regions of Ukraine as “illegal” and threatened Russia with additional sanctions by the European Union.

Colonna, who is on an official visit to Kyiv, in a press conference said the referendum was “simulated” and “illegal.”

“If Russia proceeds with the organization of these illegal referendums, then there will be sanctions on the part of the European Union with the full support of my country,” she said during a press conference with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

She said the referendums organized by Russian President Vladimir Putin along with the mobilization of reserve forces, and an escalatory rhetoric on the nuclear issue, will not “distract us from our principles or our goal."

Moscow on Tuesday completed the referendums in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk -- breakaway regions in Ukraine controlled by Russia. Russian state media announced that 98% of voters wanted to join Russia.

This is Colonna’s third visit to Ukraine since becoming foreign minister. France has assured increased support in terms of finance, supply of defense equipment, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, according to a statement from the ministry.

The statement also added that Colonna will work with Ukrainian interlocutors on establishing a protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant -- controlled by Russian forces -- based on the proposal by the International Atomic Energy Agency.