Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday took an extremely provocative measure to announce that he was recognising two breakaway rebel republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in east Ukraine. In a TV address, Putin said that Ukraine had no history of being a true nation.
Russian-backed rebels have been fighting in these regions since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea, another Ukrainian region into its territory.
Putin’s shock announcement has left both the West and Ukraine in a fix. There is a real fear that the move will allow Russian troops to enter Ukraine’s eastern regions. A large number of people in these two regions have been issued Russian passports.
Putin’s announcement has evoked strong reactions from the West. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that it would be ‘a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine’ and break international law adding that it was ‘a very ill omen and a very dark sign.’
The European Union said that it will ‘react with unity, firmness and with determination in solidarity with Ukraine.’
The US too has announced new sanctions against Russia. President Joe Biden is set to sign an executive order prohibiting ‘new investment, trade, and financing by US persons to, from, or in’ the two breakaway regions recognised by Putin.
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement that Biden’s order will ‘also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine.’
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that he condemned ‘Russia’s decision to extend recognition to the self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic’.’
Putin has left both the West and Ukraine in a fix with his sudden announcement. While it remains to be seen what sanctions the West will impose against Russia, Ukraine now fears losing another large swathe of its territory to Russia after the latter annexed Crimea in 2014.