Vladimir Putin details his territorial desires for the two regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, in the east of Ukraine. As its president said on Tuesday, February 22, Russia recognizes the sovereignty of all of these two pro-Russian separatist regions, and not just the areas under their control.
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“We recognized the independence of these republics, that is to say all their key documents, including the Constitution. And the Constitution are inscribed the boundaries of Donetsk and Lugansk regions as they were when they were part of Ukraine “, underlined the Russian president in front of journalists. He said, however, that the exact borders should be drawn in talks between the two breakaway republics and Ukraine.
Putin calls for sending military support to separatists
The Russian president also asked the upper house of parliament to authorize the dispatch of Russian soldiers to support the pro-Russian separatists. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov read the head of state’s request to the assembly meeting in extraordinary session, arguing that“on the borders of the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, a (Ukrainian) army of 60,000 men and heavy armor” had been deployed.
Vladimir Putin finally judged that the “best solution” to put an end to the crisis around Ukraine would be for Kiev to give up its desire to join NATO. The Ukrainian authorities should “stick to neutrality”according to him.