President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko welcomes the decision of the Council of the European Union to impose sanctions against five persons responsible for illegally holding presidential elections in the occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

"I welcome the official decision of the EU Council to impose sanctions against five persons responsible for illegally holding presidential elections in the temporarily occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol," the president wrote on Facebook on Monday.

Poroshenko is sure that punishment for any illegal actions against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is inevitable.

"My meetings in Aachen with the leaders of the EU, France and Germany clearly confirmed that the topic of de-occupation and restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty over Crimea is one of the top priorities of the European agenda," the president said.

As reported, on May 8, the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU countries considered the issue related to restrictive measures due to the undermining of Ukraine's territorial integrity - the organization and holding of presidential elections in the occupied Crimea, and supported such an initiative. The list of individual sanctions includes direct participants in the organization and conduct of illegal presidential elections in the territory of Crimea occupied by Russia.