THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

(1)	On 23 February 2022, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2022/266 (1).

(2)

On 6 October 2022, in response to the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions by the Russian Federation, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2022/1908 (2). That Decision amended the title of Decision (CFSP) 2022/266 and extended the geographical scope of the restrictions to cover all the non-government controlled areas of Ukraine in the oblasts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.

(3)

The Union remains unwavering in its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders and dedicated to the full implementation of the non-recognition policy in respect of Russia’s illegal annexation. The Union does not recognise and continues to condemn the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories by the Russian Federation as a violation of international law. On the basis of a review of Decision (CFSP) 2022/266, and in view of the Russian Federation’s continuing illegal actions against Ukraine, the restrictive measures should be renewed until 24 February 2024.

(4)	Decision (CFSP) 2022/266 should be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

In Article 10 of Decision (CFSP) 2022/266, the second paragraph is replaced by the following:

‘This Decision shall apply until 24 February 2024.’.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 20 February 2023.

For the Council

The President

J. BORRELL FONTELLES

(1) Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/266 of 23 February 2022 concerning restrictive measures in response to the illegal recognition, occupation or annexation by the Russian Federation of certain non-government controlled areas of Ukraine (OJ L 42 I, 23.2.2022, p. 109).

(2) Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/1908 of 6 October 2022 amending Decision (CFSP) 2022/266 concerning restrictive measures in response to the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and the ordering of Russian armed forces into those areas (OJ L 259 I, 6.10.2022, p. 118).