In response to the State Duma of the Russian Federation approving an appeal to the Russian President to recognise the so-called “Donetsk and Luhansk peoples’ republics”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine states as follows.

Ukraine’s standpoint remains unchanged: Russia’s recognition of the so-called “Donetsk and Luhansk peoples’ republics” will be tantamount to its deliberate withdrawal from the Minsk Agreements. Such a move will cause a serious blow to the politico-diplomatic settlement that Ukraine and its partners have been actively engaged to promote.

Recognition of the so-called “L/DPR”will have no legal implications. Russia will not succeed at masking the Russian occupation administration in the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk Regions as “independent entities”, or to disguise its own involvement as a party to the armed conflict in Donbas.

Instead, if Russian President supports the ruling of the RF State Duma, it will have much broader, destructive consequences for the international rule of law and the global security architecture. Therefore, Russia has a choice: embark on the path of deescalation and diplomatic dialogue or experience decisive consolidated response by the international community.

We call on Moscow to take a constructive stance towards achieving progress in the framework of the existing negotiation formats. Otherwise, Russia will bear full responsibility for ruining the Minsk Agreements and the process of peaceful settlement of the armed conflict.