Russia is very aware of the consequences of recognizing the provinces in view of the sanctions threatened by the West.
(Photo: AP)
Moscow Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to decide on the recognition of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics as independent states on Monday. He said this after a meeting of the National Security Council, which was shown live on state television.
All those involved, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, spoke out in favor of recognizing the regions. In that case, the way would be clear for Russia to invade the territories. The pro-Russian separatist leaders in Luhansk and Donetsk had previously asked Putin for assistance in fighting Ukrainian government troops.
The Security Council said that neither Ukraine nor the West needed the Donbass. Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said it was clear to Russia that the step would have serious consequences in view of the sanctions threatened by the West. In view of the situation, however, there is no other option than to recognize the areas.
The pressure on Russia will be unprecedented, Medvedev said. The hope is, however, that the conflict will cool down afterwards.
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Medvedev recalled his time as president when the war with Georgia broke out in 2008. At that time, Russia had recognized the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as states and stationed thousands of soldiers there. Since then, Russia has learned to live with the pressure.
The Russian President wants to decide on the recognition of the provinces on Monday.
(Photo: via REUTERS)
Several speakers also recalled Russia’s incorporation of the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014, which Moscow carried out despite protests from the West. Last week, the Russian parliament passed a resolution to Putin asking him to recognize the “Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics”.
Violence has increased significantly in the Donbass conflict zone. Government troops and pro-Russian separatists are shooting at each other. According to UN estimates, more than 14,000 people have died in the eight-year conflict, most of them in separatist-controlled territory.