Russian President Putin: Recognition of separatist areas announced

Russian President Putin plans to recognize the separatist areas in Donetsk and Luhansk. The Kremlin announced that he had informed Chancellor Scholz about this. In this case, the EU threatens sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he intends to recognize the independence of the self-proclaimed “People’s Republics” in Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin announced that he had informed Chancellor Olaf Scholz about this.

Putin intends to sign such a decree. French President Emmanuel Macron was also informed about the plans. According to the presidential administration in Moscow, both ruled in disappointment.

Putin had previously announced at a meeting of the National Security Council that he was considering recognizing the separatist areas. The decision will be made today. All those involved in the Security Council, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, spoke out in favor of recognition.

Scholz warned against stepping

According to a spokesman, Scholz had warned Putin about the step during the phone call. This 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 again called on Putin to de-escalate and withdraw the combined forces from the border with Ukraine. He emphasized that it is now important, especially in eastern Ukraine, to comply with the ceasefire and set signs of relaxation.

In a video message broadcast on Russian television, the separatist leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk asked for recognition and also for cooperation with Moscow “in the field of defense”. The Russian lower house also demanded recognition.

EU threatens sanctions

The EU threatened Russia with sanctions if it recognized the separatist areas. After the Foreign Council in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that in this case he would “put punitive measures against Russia on the table”. The EU states 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 regions,” Borrell said.

According to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the EU has already prepared comprehensive economic and financial sanctions. They are to be triggered in close consultation with the USA and other western partners.

West fears pretext for invasion

Western officials have been warning for days that by recognizing the separatist areas, Russia could create a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.

The US recently warned that recognition of the “People’s Republics” by Moscow would constitute “a gross violation of international law”.

Meeting of Lavrov and Blinken confirmed

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently confirmed a meeting with his US counterpart Antony Blinken. According to the information, this should take place on Thursday in Geneva.

Previously, French President Emmanuel Macron in particular had advocated talks between Putin and Biden. The Kremlin said that talks are possible in principle, but that there are no concrete plans. Biden had agreed to a meeting “in principle” but made it conditional on Russia not invading Ukraine beforehand.

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Lavrov also spoke on the phone today. According to his ministry, Lavrov called on Germany to put pressure on Ukraine to take a “more constructive stance” on the crisis in eastern Ukraine. The Minsk agreements are the only possibility for a long-term settlement of Ukraine’s “internal crisis”.