Ashton
© EPA/JULIEN WARNANDEU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton
The European Union does not recognize elections in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Monday.

"In view of reports about local elections having taken place in Crimea and Sevastopol, we recall that the European Union recognizes neither the legal framework nor the legitimacy of these elections," Ashton said in a statement.

"The European Union continues to condemn the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and will not recognize it," she added.

The elections to the State Council, the peninsula's new legislature, were held on September 14. These were the first elections in Crimea since it became part of Russia in March .

More than 96% of the Crimean residents voted for the reunification with Russia during a referendum held on March 16.