Ukraine crisis
Putin calculates with NATO expansion and the United States – his speech in the video
Russia wants to recognize the “People’s Republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states. President Vladimir Putin addresses the people in a televised address and sends a message to NATO and the USA.
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to recognize the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine as independent states. This was announced by the Kremlin on Monday. Such a move could dangerously fuel the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin informed Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron about his plans over the phone. Vladimir Putin addressed the nation in the evening. In the speech he attacked NATO and reckoned with the actions of the USA. When Germany was reunited in Soviet times, Russia was promised that NATO would not expand a bit to the east, the Kremlin chief said on Monday. “You betrayed us,” Putin said, accusing the Western alliance of having already pushed through five waves of eastward expansion — and treating Russia like an enemy. “Why all this? What for?” Putin asked. Despite the lack of evidence, he spoke of a mass crime against people of Russian origin in eastern Ukraine. “The so-called civilized world prefers to ignore the genocide committed by Kiev in Donbass,” Putin said in Moscow on Monday evening. Four million people are affected.
Russian Security Council calls for recognition
The pro-Russian separatist leaders in the two regions had previously asked Putin for assistance in fighting the Ukrainian government troops. Like the Russian parliament, they called on Putin to recognize their independence. At a special session, the Russian Security Council supported the motions with a large majority.
All those involved in the Russian Security Council, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, had also spoken out in favor of recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Russia is aware that the move will have serious consequences in view of the sanctions threatened by the West, said Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev. In view of the situation, however, there is no other option than to recognize the areas. The pressure on Russia will be unprecedented. The hope is that the conflict will cool down afterwards.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov complained that nationalists were in charge in Kiev and that Ukrainian politics there was directed against everything Russian. There is no progress in resolving the conflict. Several speakers complained that the government in Kiev was not fulfilling the peace plan for eastern Ukraine, but was instead using it as a means of exerting pressure on Moscow.