Putin’s signature: for Russia Donetsk and Lungansk are independent from Ukraine

First a long speech live on television to the nation and then the signature. Vladimir Putin signed a decree with which he has recognized the two Russian-speaking secessionist republics of Donetsk and Lungansk as independent statesUkraine. He has signed agreements of “friendship and mutual aid” with the presidents of the republics.

In the speech that preceded the signing, Putin explained that he considers Ukraine historically linked to Russia, not a nation apart and now too close to the West, “reduced to the level of a colony with a puppet regime“. «In Ukraine, Western weapons have arrived in a continuous flow, there are regular military exercises in the west of Ukraine, the goal is to hit Russia. NATO troops are taking part in these exercises, at least 10 are underway, and NATO contingents in Ukraine could grow rapidly ».

“I believe it is necessary to take this decision which has been ripe for a long time,” said Putin, who has long recognized the existence of the separatist republics. This new stance pays off international mediation is in vain for the definition of the status of the two territories within the political system of Ukraine and allows the presence of Russian troops, at the request of local governments, on the territory if Moscow no longer recognizes them as Ukrainians. Putin will not even consider it an invasion, but an intervention “to guarantee peace”.

For some observers it is one more step towards a war. To other observers, the choice to recognize the Republics seems an alternative to a costly invasion of the whole of Ukraine, still avoidable through diplomatic channels.

All Western leaders have condemned the Russian choice of recognizing the rebel republics. From Macron who had worked for a Putin-Biden meeting with the American president who raised the alarm for “an extremely violent attack on Ukraine possible in the next few days or hours”. Ukraine has called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council which took place overnight. For the UN there is a real risk of large-scale conflict. Western countries are ready to initiate sanctions against Moscow and the breakaway regions.

The Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio he invited the Italians to leave Ukraine. «The decision of the Russian authorities to recognize the so-called separatist republics of Lugansk and Donetsk is to be condemned as contrary to the Minsk agreements and constitutes a serious obstacle in the search for a diplomatic solution. Italy continues to uphold the integrity and full sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders ”.