Russian President Vladimir Putin should recognize independence of breakaway regions of Ukraine.
The Kremlin said on Monday that Putin planned to recognize two rebel regions of Ukraine as independent, a move it could set off a potentially catastrophic conflict with Western-backed Kyivest government.
In statement after Putin spoke to French and German leaders, Kremlin says Putin briefed them of requests from the authorities in separatist regions and Russian legislators for Moscow to grant recognition.
“In the near futureThe President plans for sign order,” the statement said, adding that Frenchman Emmanuel Macron and German Olaf Scholz “expressed their disappointment” over the decision in phone calls.
Putin had hours previously chaired over a long and carefully staged meeting of his powerful Security Council, listening senior officials say it was about time for Russia will recognize the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic as independent.
“I heard your opinions. The decision will be taken today,” he said after the meeting, which was broadcast on state tv for more more than 90 minutes.
State media to have announced a later Putin TV statement on Monday.
Recognition will effectively put an end to a already fragile peace plan in the separatist conflict, which rumbled on since 2014, after Moscow annexed Crimea to Ukraine, and left more over 14,000 dead.
Russia could now move in troops to protect hundreds of thousands of residents in the regions who obtained Russian passports, justifying an intervention as defense of its citizens.
Ukraine would then either have to accept the loss of a standard chunk of territory, or face an armed conflict with it’s a lot more powerful neighbor.
Ukraine’s president, President Volodymyr Zelensky, said he had convened son own National Security and Defense Council after Putin’s speech, and also waiting calls with Macron and Scholz.
The sudden and decisive move by eclipsed Moscow last- abandon diplomatic attempts to lighten the weeks of tensions over fears that Russia has planned an all-out invasion of son pro-Western neighbor.
European leaders have urged Putin to hold a summit with son American counterpart Joe Biden and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Putin in the meeting of the security council that he would meet son American counterpart on Thursday in Geneva.
‘Very big menace’ for Russia
But Putin made clear there was no place for further talks on the separatists, telling the security council that there was “no prospect” for the 2015 Minsk Peace Accords aimed at resolving the Ukrainian conflict.
He made clear the stakes were higher than ex-Soviet Ukraine, whose efforts to join NATO and the European Union have deeply irritated Moscow.
“The use of Ukraine as an instrument of confrontation with our country poses a serious, very big menace for us”, Putin said.
The dramatic encounter – with Putin sitting alone at a bureau whereas son government, military and chiefs of security took turns to him from a podium – came after weeks of tensions between Moscow and the West over Ukraine.
Western leaders are warning that Russia plans to invade son pro-western neighbor after massaging more more than 150,000 soldiers on its borders, a claim that Moscow has repeatedly denied.
Ukraine on Monday called for an urgent meeting of UN Security Council to make face to the menaceciting the security guarantees he has received in to return to for giving up son nuclear arsenal in 1994.
Announce the request on Twitter, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba quoted an article six of the Budapest memorandum, the historic agreement of 1994 also signed by Russia, the United States and Great Britain.
Tensions have risen in a few days after an epidemic of heavy shell fire on Ukraine’s eastern front line with the separatists and a series of reported incidents on the border with Russia.
In one of the most potentially dangerous, said Moscow – to furious Kyiv denials – that his forces had intercepted and killed five Ukrainian saboteurs who infiltrated Russian territory and accused Ukraine of bomb a border post.
Kyiv, concerned that Russia is building a narrative to justify an invasion immediately denied all allegations, which are widely broadcast on Russian state mediaet Kuleba took to Twitter.
“No, Ukraine does NOT have: attack Donetsk or Lugansk, send saboteurs or APCs (armoured personnel carriers) over the Russian border, bombing Russian territory, bombing the Russian border crossing, committing acts of sabotage,” he said.
“Ukraine also does NOT provide for such actions. Russia, stop your fake factory now,” he wrote.
Also on On Monday, local officials said shelling on the government-village held of Novoluganske, 35 kilometers (25 miles) north of the eastern rebel stronghold of Donetsk, had killed a civilian there.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told NBC news than a Russian invasion of son neighbor would be an “extremely violent” operation followed by a brutal occupation.
“It will be a war led by Russia on Ukrainian people to suppress them, crush them, harm them,” the White House official noted.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said there was no sign of Russian forces retreating from the border and Moscow-backed rebels continued to shell Ukrainian positions.
In recent weeks, according to US intelligence, Moscow has massaged a invasion force of troops, tanks, missile batteries and warships around the borders of Ukraine in Belarus, Russia, Crimea and the Black Sea.
Biden said US intelligence believed Putin had made a decision invade Ukraine and that commanders prepare units to attack within a few days.
Western powers have threatened crippling sanctions package if Russia invades and shortly before Putin announcementforeign EU policy Chief Josep Borrell said the sanctions also to be “on the table” if Russia recognizes the separatists.
Russian President Vladimir Putin should recognize independence of breakaway regions of Ukraine.
The Kremlin said on Monday that Putin planned to recognize two rebel regions of Ukraine as independent, a move it could set off a potentially catastrophic conflict with Western-backed Kyivest government.
In statement after Putin spoke to French and German leaders, Kremlin says Putin briefed them of requests from the authorities in separatist regions and Russian legislators for Moscow to grant recognition.
“In the near futureThe President plans for sign order,” the statement said, adding that Frenchman Emmanuel Macron and German Olaf Scholz “expressed their disappointment” over the decision in phone calls.
Putin had hours previously chaired over a long and carefully staged meeting of his powerful Security Council, listening senior officials say it was about time for Russia will recognize the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic as independent.
“I heard your opinions. The decision will be taken today,” he said after the meeting, which was broadcast on state tv for more more than 90 minutes.
State media to have announced a later Putin TV statement on Monday.
Recognition will effectively put an end to a already fragile peace plan in the separatist conflict, which rumbled on since 2014, after Moscow annexed Crimea to Ukraine, and left more over 14,000 dead.
Russia could now move in troops to protect hundreds of thousands of residents in the regions who obtained Russian passports, justifying an intervention as defense of its citizens.
Ukraine would then either have to accept the loss of a standard chunk of territory, or face an armed conflict with it’s a lot more powerful neighbor.
Ukraine’s president, President Volodymyr Zelensky, said he had convened son own National Security and Defense Council after Putin’s speech, and also waiting calls with Macron and Scholz.
The sudden and decisive move by eclipsed Moscow last- abandon diplomatic attempts to lighten the weeks of tensions over fears that Russia has planned an all-out invasion of son pro-Western neighbor.
European leaders have urged Putin to hold a summit with son American counterpart Joe Biden and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Putin in the meeting of the security council that he would meet son American counterpart on Thursday in Geneva.
‘Very big menace’ for Russia
But Putin made clear there was no place for further talks on the separatists, telling the security council that there was “no prospect” for the 2015 Minsk Peace Accords aimed at resolving the Ukrainian conflict.
He made clear the stakes were higher than ex-Soviet Ukraine, whose efforts to join NATO and the European Union have deeply irritated Moscow.
“The use of Ukraine as an instrument of confrontation with our country poses a serious, very big menace for us”, Putin said.
The dramatic encounter – with Putin sitting alone at a bureau whereas son government, military and chiefs of security took turns to him from a podium – came after weeks of tensions between Moscow and the West over Ukraine.
Western leaders are warning that Russia plans to invade son pro-western neighbor after massaging more more than 150,000 soldiers on its borders, a claim that Moscow has repeatedly denied.
Ukraine on Monday called for an urgent meeting of UN Security Council to make face to the menaceciting the security guarantees he has received in to return to for giving up son nuclear arsenal in 1994.
Announce the request on Twitter, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba quoted an article six of the Budapest memorandum, the historic agreement of 1994 also signed by Russia, the United States and Great Britain.
Tensions have risen in a few days after an epidemic of heavy shell fire on Ukraine’s eastern front line with the separatists and a series of reported incidents on the border with Russia.
In one of the most potentially dangerous, said Moscow – to furious Kyiv denials – that his forces had intercepted and killed five Ukrainian saboteurs who infiltrated Russian territory and accused Ukraine of bomb a border post.
Kyiv, concerned that Russia is building a narrative to justify an invasion immediately denied all allegations, which are widely broadcast on Russian state mediaet Kuleba took to Twitter.
“No, Ukraine does NOT have: attack Donetsk or Lugansk, send saboteurs or APCs (armoured personnel carriers) over the Russian border, bombing Russian territory, bombing the Russian border crossing, committing acts of sabotage,” he said.
“Ukraine also does NOT provide for such actions. Russia, stop your fake factory now,” he wrote.
Also on On Monday, local officials said shelling on the government-village held of Novoluganske, 35 kilometers (25 miles) north of the eastern rebel stronghold of Donetsk, had killed a civilian there.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told NBC news than a Russian invasion of son neighbor would be an “extremely violent” operation followed by a brutal occupation.
“It will be a war led by Russia on Ukrainian people to suppress them, crush them, harm them,” the White House official noted.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said there was no sign of Russian forces retreating from the border and Moscow-backed rebels continued to shell Ukrainian positions.
In recent weeks, according to US intelligence, Moscow has massaged a invasion force of troops, tanks, missile batteries and warships around the borders of Ukraine in Belarus, Russia, Crimea and the Black Sea.
Biden said US intelligence believed Putin had made a decision invade Ukraine and that commanders prepare units to attack within a few days.
Western powers have threatened crippling sanctions package if Russia invades and shortly before Putin announcementforeign EU policy Chief Josep Borrell said the sanctions also to be “on the table” if Russia recognizes the separatists.