The European Parliament has refused to recognise Russia's State Duma as the legitimate representative and legislative body of the Russian Federation, following State Duma elections held on 18–20 September 2026 that MEPs condemned as a "fake" ballot conducted in a climate of fear. The resolution was adopted on Thursday by 482 votes in favour, 41 against and 39 abstentions.
The text denounces what it describes as the long-standing and intentional destruction of any remnants of democracy by President Vladimir Putin's regime. Parliament noted that the elections were held without genuine alternative candidates, without free media, without credible observers and without political freedoms, with critics of the regime having been either imprisoned, murdered or forced into exile.
MEPs also condemned the fact that the elections were conducted in parts of the Russian-occupied Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, as well as in Moldova's Transnistrian region and in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia. Parliament declared that it would not recognise any legal or political consequences deriving from the organisation of so-called elections in occupied territories.
On sanctions, MEPs called on EU member states to introduce further extensive restrictive measures against individuals and entities involved in political persecution and in Moscow's continued war of aggression against Ukraine. The targets named include judges, prosecutors, officials of Rosfinmonitoring, operatives involved in repression including transnational repression, members of Russia's Central Election Commission, and officials involved in organising staged electoral processes in occupied parts of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.
Parliament additionally called on all EU countries to refrain from any official contact with the newly constituted Duma and its members, and to oppose the participation of such Russian representatives in interparliamentary assemblies. MEPs also spoke out against the normalisation of Russia's participation in international sporting and cultural events.
The resolution reaffirms that EU relations with Russia cannot be normalised without, among other conditions, a just and lasting peace for Ukraine based on full territorial integrity and complete withdrawal of Russian troops, the release of prisoners of war, the return of forcibly deported Ukrainian children, Russia's payment of full reparations and compensation to Ukraine, and full accountability for crimes committed against Ukraine. The text also calls for continued support for Russian democratic forces working for a democratic future in their country.
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