MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd October, 2022) The Finnish Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Pavel Kuznetsov on Monday in a show of protest against the referendums on joining Russia held recently in Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
"Finnish MFA summoned the Ambassador of Russia today to express the strongest condemnation of the sham referenda and announcement of illegal annexation of occupied Ukrainian regions by Russia," the ministry said on social media.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed agreements with regional leaders on Friday to allow the accession of the four entities to Russia after a vast majority of their population voted in favor of the move on September 23-27.
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz said on Monday that diplomatic relations with Russia were almost frozen over its actions in Ukraine. The Polish ministry also summoned Russian Ambassador Sergey Andreev, who told Russian media after the meeting that he was asked to condemn the referendums.
"It's the first time I heard something like that: they suggested that I distance myself (from Moscow) and condemn (the referendums) and promised the support of Polish authorities. I told them I saw no point in discussing this topic further," Andreev told Russian television channel Zvezda.
The Italian and Austrian foreign ministries likewise summoned the Russian ambassadors to their countries to condemn the referendums and warn Russia about consequences. They said this was done in close coordination with other EU members.
Ettore Sequi, secretary general at the Italian foreign ministry, said he demanded from Russian Ambassador Sergey Razov that Russia withdraw troops from Ukraine. He said Italy did not recognize the results of the public votes and would work together with the EU nations to increase pressure on Moscow.
The Austrian ministry said on social media it had called the Russian envoy to convey the message that the "illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory by Russia is an unacceptable breach of international law."
