The planned easier allocation of Russian passports to citizens in eastern Ukraine is receiving massive criticism in several EU states. President Putin defends the project – and refers to other countries.
The governments in Berlin and Paris as well as the EU have sharply criticized the easier allocation of Russian passports to citizens in eastern Ukraine. „Together with France, we condemn the Russian decree designed to facilitate the granting of Russian citizenship to people in parts of eastern Ukraine,“ the Foreign Ministry said on Twitter. These regions are part of the Ukrainian national territory.
The Russian announcement „contradicts the spirit and objectives of the Minsk Agreement,“ criticized the Foreign Office with regard to the desired peace solution for eastern Ukraine. „This is the opposite of the now urgently needed contribution to de-escalation.“
Moscow speaks of „humanitarian action“
Moscow had announced the project yesterday. A decree signed by President Vladimir Putin stipulates that people in the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine will be able to receive Russian passports in a simplified procedure in the future. Accordingly, the decision of the Russian authorities on a request for this should not take more than three months.
According to the decree, it is about „protecting“ the rights and freedoms of citizens. It is a „humanitarian“ measure. The new rules honored „the generally accepted principles and norms of international law“.
Putin defended the project. In other countries, it has long been a practice for them to issue passports to Ukrainians, said the head of the Kremlin. He referred to Poland, Hungary and Romania. „If other countries – neighbors of Ukraine – have been doing this for many years, why can not Russia do that?“
EU: „attack on sovereignty of Ukraine“
Like Germany, the EU reacted with sharp criticism. The decision was a further attack by Russia on the „sovereignty of Ukraine,“ said a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy Federica Mogherini. The timing immediately after the Ukrainian presidential election showed „Russia’s intention to further destabilize Ukraine and exacerbate the conflict“.
In the east of Ukraine, Ukrainian government troops have been fighting against Russia-backed separatists for years. Since the conflict began, around 13,000 people have been killed. Germany and France are part of the so-called Normandie format, in which a peaceful solution is sought together with Ukraine and Russia.
The move to passport Moscow took place a few days after the election of Volodymyr Selenskyj as the new head of state of Ukraine. Selenskyj had named the peace negotiations for Eastern Ukraine with Russia in his victory speech on Sunday evening as a priority. He will „continue the Minsk talks, re-record them“. He also pledged to ensure the return of Ukrainians detained in the separatist-controlled areas and in Russia.
Kiev calls UN Security Council
Ukraine has already announced its intention to call the UN Security Council. The ambassador of the former Soviet republic to the United Nations, Vladimir Yelchenko, said that he had contacted the UN Security Council on the instructions of outgoing President Petro Poroshenko. „This bold move contradicts the Minsk agreements recognized by the Security Council.“
