TV speech on eastern Ukraine: Putin recognizes separatist “republics”.

Russian President Putin has recognized the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent. Ukraine is part of Russian history, he said in a speech. He also raised allegations against NATO again.

The step had already been announced – now Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognized the two separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine as independent “people’s republics”. State television showed how the head of the Kremlin signed a corresponding decree after a request from the separatists. Putin said he was confident that the Russian population would support his decision.

At the same time, he signed an agreement on “friendship and assistance” with the representatives of the two pro-Russian separatist republics. This makes it possible for Russian soldiers to be stationed there. Putin called on parliament to “confirm this decision and then ratify the friendship and aid agreements with the two republics.”

In an initial reaction, the EU sharply condemned the step and announced sanctions against all those involved. The United States also said it would impose punitive measures.

Putin: “Part of our own history”

In his speech, Putin described Ukraine as a state created by Russia under the communist revolutionary leader Lenin. “For us, Ukraine is not just a neighboring country. It is an indispensable part of our own history and culture.” The monuments to Lenin were destroyed there as a sign of “decommunization,” said Putin, with a view to abolishing what was left of communism. “We are ready to show Ukraine what true decommunization is.”

Ukraine has been “brought down to the level of a colony with a puppet regime,” the Kremlin chief said. You have never had “real statehood”, but rather copied models. Today, radicals and nationalists are in charge in Ukraine – among the Western curators, who have led the country into a dead end. Corruption and power struggles by oligarchs would prevent people in the ex-Soviet republic from doing better.

Putin accused Ukraine of wanting to build its own nuclear weapons. This is tantamount to preparations for an attack on Russia. He also called on the Ukrainian leadership to stop firing in eastern Ukraine immediately. Otherwise, Kiev will bear full responsibility for it.

allegations against NATO

The Kremlin chief also made serious allegations against NATO. According to Putin, they and the USA have openly turned Ukraine into a theater of war. US drones stationed there would constantly spy on Russia. Ukraine joining NATO would pose a direct threat to Russian security.

Putin accused the alliance of deceiving Moscow for years. When Germany was reunited in Soviet times, Russia was promised that NATO would not expand eastward. “They betrayed us,” he said. According to Putin, NATO was designed to weaken Russia as the largest country in terms of area. The bloc has moved its military infrastructure closer and closer to Russia’s borders. According to the Kremlin chief, the Western alliance “spit” on Moscow’s concerns and did what it wanted.

At the same time, Putin said that Russia is still ready for dialogue with the West – with NATO and the United States. The prerequisites are an end to eastward enlargement, a waiver of the stationing of missile defense systems and a withdrawal of NATO to the positions of 1997.

Scholz had called for de-escalation

In a telephone call that afternoon, Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned Putin against recognizing the “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk. This will 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, a spokesman said.

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.

Separatist leaders demanded recognition

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 had also called for recognition.

According to the dpa news agency, Putin’s decision was celebrated in Donetsk with an allegedly spontaneous fireworks display. Videos from the separatist stronghold showed dozens of people celebrating with Russian flags, chanting “Russia, Russia” to the sounds of the Russian national anthem. There were no independent reports on this.