Blinken warns Russia of ‘swift response’ over vote on Donbas recognition

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday decried the vote by Russia's parliament that urged President Vladimir Putin to recognize two pro-Russia regions in eastern Ukraine as independent.

In a statement, as cited by Reuters, the top American diplomat said the resolution would "necessitate a swift and firm response from the United States in full coordination with our allies and partners.”

"Enactment of this resolution would further undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, constitute a gross violation of international law, call into further question Russia’s stated commitment to continue to engage in diplomacy to achieve a peaceful resolution of this crisis," Blinken said.

Russia's lower house of parliament on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to urge Putin to recognize the independence of the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, together known as Donbas, in eastern Ukraine.

"Kyiv is not observing the Minsk agreements. Our citizens and compatriots who live in Donbass need our help and support," Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s State Duma, wrote on social media.

Russia blasts Western ‘paranoia', China says US ‘hyping up’ Ukraine tension

Russia

Blinken said such a move would amount to "the Russian government’s wholesale rejection of its commitments under the Minsk agreements".

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had "taken note" of the resolution but that it would not be in line with the 2014-15 Minsk agreements seeking end to the protracted conflict.

After the vote, Western countries, including Germany, moved swiftly to denounce the move, warning that it would hurt the ongoing diplomatic efforts.

“That would be a violation of these agreements,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said during a joint press conference after his meeting with Putin on Tuesday. “That would be a political disaster.”  

In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that would be “a blatant violation of Ukraine’s territory and sovereignty once again”.

In response, Putin said Russians were sympathetic to the residents of the Donbass region, but he wanted the regions' problems to be resolved through the Minsk accords.

Russia and the US-led NATO military alliance have recently been at odds over Ukraine, among other issues.

Washington and its allies have been accusing Russia of plans to invade Ukraine by amassing 100,000 troops and armaments near the border with the former Soviet Union country.

However, Moscow has vehemently rejected the allegations, saying the military build-up is defensive in nature, slamming NATO over its increased military activity near Russian borders.

Some Russian troops return from Ukraine border in a sign of de-escalation

Some Russian troops deployed in areas bordering Ukraine are returning to their bases following the completion of drills, Russia

On Tuesday, some Russian troops deployed in areas bordering Ukraine returned to their bases following the completion of drills, Russia's defense ministry said, in a major step toward de-escalation.

It was not immediately clear how many units were being pulled out and what impact it would possibly have on tensions between Moscow and the West.

But, on Wednesday, NATO accused Russia of sending more troops to a massive military build-up around Ukraine, dismissing Moscow’s announcement of partial withdrawal.

“We have not seen any withdrawal of Russian forces. And of course, that contradicts the message of diplomatic efforts,” NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg. “What we see is that they have increased the number of troops and more troops are on their way. So, so far, no de-escalation.”

Meanwhile, back in the US, claims trumpeted by Biden and its European allies that Russians are mulling invasion of Ukraine were dismissed by a former US Green Party presidential candidate, Jill Stein.

“They lied to you about Vietnam. They lied to you about Iraq & Afghanistan. They lied to you about Syria & Libya. They lied to you about Honduras & Bolivia. They lied to you about Assange & Russiagate. So why the hell would you believe what they're telling you about Ukraine?” she wrote in a Twitter post.

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