In a river and aggressive speech, the head of the Kremlin showed his desire to recognize the independence of the separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. The EU promises sanctions.
It could be the dreaded spark. At the end of a long televised speech, Vladimir Putin recognizes this Monday evening the independence of the pro-Russian separatist territories of eastern Ukraine. “A decree to this effect will be signed shortly”, said the Russian president. According to the Kremlin, the Russian Head of State informed his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, and the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, mediators in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, of this decision in advance, and they, according to the Kremlin, “expressed their disappointment”.
A few minutes earlier, the European Union had announced that it was ready to impose sanctions if Moscow decided to recognize the independence of the separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. “We assume that President Putin will not do it, but if he does, then I will put the sanctions package on the table of ministers” Europeans, warned Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy, after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
At the Elysee Palace, a Defense Council on the subject has been underway around Emmanuel Macron for 6 p.m. The French head of state also spoke again on Monday with Russian Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on two occasions, and European officials Charles Michel and Ursula Von der Leyen, said the French presidency.
Update : at 8:37 p.m., with Putin’s announcement to recognize the independence of the territories concerned.