On Monday evening, Egypt denied what was reported in some media about Ukraine's abstention from participating in the Women's World Squash Championships, which is expected to be held in Egypt next December.
This denial comes hours after Kyiv announced its intention not to participate in the World Squash Championships, claiming that Cairo supports the "false Russian referendum" in 4 Ukrainian regions.
Ukraine said that "representatives of the Egyptian government participated in monitoring referendums backed by Russia in the regions of Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson, while the international community condemned them."
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, spokesperson for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, categorically denied that the Egyptian government sent any observers to follow up on these referendums, and said, "Egypt did not send any observers to follow up on referendums that were recently organized in Ukraine," according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry.
A few days ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a document to annex the four Ukrainian regions after holding a referendum in which Moscow said that it ended in favor of "joining Russia", in exchange for widespread rejection and condemnation from the West.
On 3 October, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry called, in a press statement, to launch a comprehensive political process to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian crisis that would take into account the interests of both parties.