Principle of self-determination cannot be applied to Crimea and Donbas, Guterres rejected Russia’s attempts to justify occupation
UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the principle of self-determination of nations cannot be applied to Crimea and Donbas, emphasising the primacy of the principle of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
According to Censor.NET, citing Ukrinform, he made this statement at a press conference.
What is known?
In response to a question from a Russian journalist about whether the UN could consider the case of Crimea and Donbas as one to which this principle should be applied, Guterres said: "There are two important principles. The first principle is the territorial integrity of states. The other principle is the self-determination of peoples."
He noted that the self-determination of peoples is only possible if a number of necessary conditions are met, citing the conclusion of the UN Office of Legal Affairs.
"We have come to the conclusion that the principle of self-determination cannot be applied to Crimea and Donbas, so in this situation, the principle of Ukraine's territorial integrity prevails," the Secretary General emphasised.
What preceded this?
According to reports in the propaganda media, Moscow is trying to equate the situation around Greenland with its actions in the occupied territories of Ukraine. In this context, the Russian Federation has appealed to the UN to recognise the right of the inhabitants of Donbas and Crimea to self-determination.
