Putin Recognizes Two Ukraine Territories as Independent, Setting the Stage for War
The Kremlin announced on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would recognize two territories in eastern Ukraine that are under the control of Russian-backed separatists as independent, The New York Times reported.
He did so during an address to the nation.
Putin concluded his history making speech, by recognising the independence of Eastern Ukraine regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Publicly signing the decree. A truly terrifying moment for the people of Ukraine. And for regional and global security.
— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@OxfordDiplomat) February 21, 2022
The separatists claim Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions as their own but only control about a third of them, the Times reported.
Putin told President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany of his decision in phone calls on Monday, the Times reported.
“The president of Russia said that he intended to sign the relevant decree in the near future,” the Kremlin said, according to the report.
“The president of France and the Federal Chancellor of Germany expressed their disappointment with this development. At the same time, they indicated their readiness to continue contacts.”
Putin attended a session of the Russian Security Council earlier on Monday, where he accused the U.S. and its allies of using Ukraine “as an instrument of confrontation,” the Times reported.
He said the matter was “a serious, very big threat to us.”
If you want to know how Ukrainians react to Putin’s speech, here’s a glimpse: moms on Facebook discuss putting stickers on their children’s clothes, when they go to school, indicating their blood type. Make no mistake: this speech was perceived as a declaration of war on Ukraine
— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) February 21, 2022
Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops along the Ukraine border.
While it denies it plans to invade, the Kremlin has demanded NATO rescind its promise to admit Ukraine into the organization, which it has flatly refused to do.
The Ukraine government accused Russia on Friday of rigging explosives in eastern Ukraine in an attempt to manufacture a false-flag terrorist attack as a pretext to invade.
Macron announced on Sunday he had gotten both Putin and President Joe Biden to agree to “the principle” of a summit in an attempt to de-escalate the conflict, but officials from both countries cast doubt on whether a meeting would take place.
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