Putin wants to recognize separatist areas in eastern Ukraine

Ukraine crisis
Putin wants to recognize separatist areas in eastern Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to recognize the independence of the pro-Russian separatist areas in eastern Ukraine. This was announced by the Kremlin on Monday evening, according to the AFP news agency in Moscow. A corresponding decree will be “signed shortly”. The West had warned Putin about this breach of the Minsk Agreement.

According to the Kremlin, Putin had informed Chancellor Olaf Scholz about his plans to recognize the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. Also the Russian news agency sputnik and the news agency Reuters reported on these conversations. Putin therefore intends to sign such a decree. French President Emmanuel Macron was also informed about the plans. The presidential administration in Moscow announced that both had reacted with disappointment. The Kremlin announced that Putin would make a televised speech later that evening.

EU threatens sanctions against Russia

According to a spokesman, Scholz had previously warned against recognizing the two Ukrainian regions as independent states. Such a step would be “in blatant contradiction” to the Minsk agreements on the peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and would be a “unilateral breach” of these agreements by Russia, Scholz said in the call with Putin, according to his spokesman.

The “People’s Republics” and the Russian parliament had previously asked Putin to recognize independence. The Russian Security Council had supported the motions with a large majority at a special session.

The EU has threatened Putin with sanctions if he recognizes the separatist areas in eastern Ukraine as independent people’s republics. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Brussels on Monday that in this case he would “put punitive measures on the table” against Russia. The EU foreign ministers would then have to decide on this.

“We call on President Putin to respect international law and the Minsk agreements and not to recognize the independence of the Luhansk and Donetsk districts,” said Borrell after around ten hours of consultations with the EU foreign ministers. The Kremlin has since announced that Putin wants to recognize the pro-Russian separatist areas.

Spiral of violence in eastern Ukraine continues

Violence in the pro-Russian separatist areas had steadily increased in recent days. The separatist leaders of the self-proclaimed “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk called on Putin on Monday afternoon to recognize their independence from Ukraine. The United States recently warned that recognition of the “People’s Republics” by Moscow would mean “a gross violation of international law.”

According to Western sources, Russia has deployed around 150,000 soldiers on the Ukraine border, fueling fears of a Russian attack. The Kremlin denies any intention to attack.

rw
DPA
AFP