Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would decide later Monday whether to recognize the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, a move that would ratchet up tensions with the West amid fears that Moscow could launch an invasion of Ukraine imminently.
European leaders urged Putin to resist recognition, and the EU foreign policy chief threatened possible sanctions if he does. Ukraine’s president convened an emergency meeting of top security officials.
The Kremlin said Putin told the leaders of Germany and France that that he would sign a “relevant decree” soon in response to the separatist leaders’ pleas to recognize their independence. It didn’t elaborate on what the decree would say.
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According to the Kremlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron “voiced their disappointment with such a development” but “voiced readiness to continue contacts.”
With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, the U.S. has warned that Moscow has already decided to invade. Still, the American and Russian presidents tentatively agreed to a possible meeting in a last-ditch effort to avoid war.
If Russia moves in, the meeting will be off, but the prospect of a face-to-face summit resuscitated hopes that diplomacy could prevent a devastating conflict, which would result in massive casualties and huge economic damage across Europe, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep…
Source : time
