Putin: Minsk agreements no longer exist

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that after the recognition of the DPR and LPR, the Minsk agreements no longer exist.

“Yes, of course, now the Minsk agreements do not exist, why should they be implemented if we recognized the independence of these entities,” the president replied.

“Through the efforts of the current Kiev authorities, everything was reduced to zero, because the Minsk agreements were killed long before yesterday’s recognition of the People’s Republics of Donbass,” he added.

He explained that, in accordance with the agreements signed with the DPR and LPR, Russia “will provide appropriate, including military, assistance to the republics. Since there is a conflict going on there, we make it clear by this decision that we, if necessary, intend to fulfill our obligations,” the President stressed.

As Putin noted, for eight years Russia was interested in observing the Minsk agreements, since they were the result of a compromise. He stressed that Moscow was forced to make this decision, since Europe was unable to force Kiev to comply with the agreements, which were brought to naught long before the recognition of the sovereignty of the republics. In addition, Kiev has repeatedly stated that it is not going to adhere to its obligations.

As we reported earlier, on February 22, late in the evening, President of Russia signed a decree on the recognition of the Luhansk and Donets people’s republics. The corresponding document was published on the official Internet portal of legal information of the Russian Federation.

As emphasized in the Russian Foreign Ministry, this decision was made on the basis of the provisions of the UN Charter, and added that the republics are recognized within the boundaries within which their leaders exercise their powers. The conflict in eastern Ukraine has been going on for eight years, during which time, according to the UN, more than 13,000 people have become victims, and about 44,000 more have been injured. Nearly 2 million people became refugees1.44 million to Ukraine and at least 0.5 million to Russia)

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