Scholz made his statement to reporters in New York.

This was reported by Zeit Online.

"It is quite clear that these fictitious referendums are unacceptable," said the German chancellor. 

He also emphasized that "referendums" are not covered by "international law and agreements reached by the international community."

At the same time, the US President's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, said that the 

and will make Moscow pay the price if it tries to do so.

"As we have warned in recent months, Russia appears to be preparing to hold pseudo-referendums in the territories of Ukraine that it controls and even that it does not currently control, which directly violates Ukraine's sovereignty," he said.

Sullivan added that these "referendums" are an affront to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, which lay the foundations of the international order and underlie the UN Charter.  

"We know that these 'referendums' will be full of manipulation and that Russia will use them as a pretext for annexing territories - now or in the future," the White House representative noted.

"I will say clearly: if this really happens, the USA will never recognize the claims of the Russian Federation on the territories that it will try to annex. And we will never recognize these territories as anything other than the territory of Ukraine," Sullivan emphasized.

He also said that

"Just the opposite: this is the action of a country that has failed - militarily and diplomatically," - added the adviser to the American leader.

In addition, the Pentagon stated that the 

.

This was stated by the spokesman of the department, US Air Force General Patrick Ryder. 

"No one will take such 'referendums' seriously. And the US, of course, will not recognize their results. This will not affect our and international support for Ukraine," Ryder said.

It will be recalled that on September 20 it became known that the occupiers plan to hold "referendums" on joining Russia in Donbas, as well as in the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions from September 23 to 27.

Read also:

• How Ukraine reacted to possible pseudo-referendums in the "LDNR": details and main statements of the authorities

• "They can indulge in anything": the expert explained why the occupiers' "referendums" will not make sense

• Putin is probably preparing to announce mobilization in the Russian Federation - White House

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