(1)

On 31 July 2014, the Council adopted Decision 2014/512/CFSP (1).

(2)

In its Resolution ES-11/1, adopted on 2 March 2022, the United Nations General Assembly deplored in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in violation of Article 2(4) of the United Nations (UN) Charter. In its Resolution ES-11/4, adopted on 12 October 2022, the UN General Assembly, noting the UN Secretary-General’s statement of 29 September 2022 in which he recalled that any annexation of a State’s territory by another State resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the principles of the Charter and international law, condemned the organisation by the Russian Federation of illegal so-called referenda in regions within the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine and the attempted illegal annexation of the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, following the organisation of those so-called referenda. In its binding order indicating provisional measures of 16 March 2022, the International Court of Justice ordered the Russian Federation to immediately suspend the military operations that it had commenced in the territory of Ukraine.

(3)

As long as the illegal actions by the Russian Federation continue to violate the prohibition on the use of force, which is a peremptory rule of international law, it is appropriate to maintain in force all the measures imposed by the Union and to take additional measures, if necessary. Consequently, Decision 2014/512/CFSP should be renewed for a further 6 months.

(4)

Decision 2014/512/CFSP should therefore be amended accordingly,