The State Duma of Russia sent an address to President Vladimir Putin asking him to recognize the 'independent' occupied areas of Ukraine in Donbass. The authors of the project, which gained 351 votes, are deputies from the Communist Party.
The document provides for negotiations with the leaders of the militants 'to create a legal basis for interstate relations and cooperation.'
Recognition of the 'republics' will create grounds for protecting their residents from external threats, says Vyacheslav Volodin, spokesman for the lower house of the Russian parliament.
Putin stated that he would make a decision depending on the implementation of the Minsk agreements.
In the case of recognition, Russia will withdraw from the Minsk agreements with all accompanying consequences, says Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Official recognition will lead to additional territorial claims against Ukraine from the Russian Federation, believes the head of the European Union representation in Ukraine, Matti Maasikas.
This decision will be used by Putin for blackmail. If he recognizes the pseudo-republics, the Minsk negotiations will be terminated. Some experts rejoice that we are getting rid of the Minsk agreements trap. But the strongest sanctions against Russia in 2015 were tied precisely to 'Minsk,' says political scientist Viktor Taran.
A new package of anti-Russian sanctions will need to be developed, which all EU countries must vote for. But Hungary, Italy, Austria, and Greece openly support the Russian Federation and may block the sanctions.
The Minsk agreements are a diplomatic tool for returning the occupied territories to Ukraine. Those who consider them evil and the ORDLO a cancerous tumor that cannot be returned support the rejection of 'Minsk.' But internally displaced persons and residents of the southeastern regions hoping for the return of these lands will be disappointed. Responsibility will be placed on Zelensky. The drop in the president's ratings will lead to a strengthening of pro-Russian forces. However, Ukraine will neither win nor lose on the diplomatic front, as it did not intend to implement these agreements.
Putin has made it clear that he may not sign the recognition of ORDLO. He states directly: in order for this not to happen, it is necessary to implement the Minsk agreements, wrote political scientist Mykhailo Basarab. What further evidence do you need to prove that the Minsk agreements are a weapon against Ukraine? And the troops on our borders have one goal: to force us to implement 'Minsk.'
After recognition by Russia of the so-called DNR and LNR, 'peacekeepers' from the Organization of the Collective Security Treaty (which includes Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan; Russia plays a key role) will immediately appear there. This will already be the officially recognized confrontation between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Russian troops along the line of demarcation. In Donbass, the likelihood of open armed confrontation between Ukraine and Russia will increase. Provocations will not be long in coming.
We are getting ironclad grounds to demand an official funeral for the Minsk agreements. A new aggressive step from Moscow is grounds for Ukraine to integrate as quickly as possible with the North Atlantic Alliance. To prevent a major continental war.
It does not matter whether Putin signs or not. Formally, the Duma consists of representatives of the people, and therefore it is a legal act, wrote analyst Larysa Voloshyna. Now any negotiations within the framework of the Minsk or 'Normandy format' become impossible. Because now it will be about 'including independent states' into the body of Ukraine. This is federalization. Now it is necessary to announce the withdrawal of Russia from 'Minsk.'