NATO and the European Union: Russian Elections "Will Not Be Fair"

NATO and the European Union stated that the presidential elections that began on Friday in Russia cannot be considered "fair" or "democratic," according to officials from both institutions. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, "Elections in Russia will not be free or fair." He added that for elections to be free, there must be "plurality, multiple candidate lists, open discussion, and free and independent press," which does not occur in Russia, according to him. For his part, a spokesperson for the EU's diplomatic service said it is "extremely difficult" to consider these elections "fair, free, and democratic," and that they do not provide a "real choice" for Russian voters. However, he confirmed that the decision to recognize these elections, which last for three days until Sunday, is up to the 27 member states of the European Union. Additionally, the European Union and NATO condemned the holding of these elections in territories occupied by Russia in Ukraine, describing them as "illegal." The spokesperson added, "I can already say that the results of these elections" in those areas "will not be recognized" by the European Union.