The Russian Federation Council this evening (Tuesday) authorized Putin to use Russian military forces outside the country’s borders. 153 MPs voted in favor of this resolution, were neither opposed nor abstained. A senior member of parliament said that the president is the one who determines the number of soldiers, their areas of activity and the period of their stay outside Russia, in accordance with the constitution. On the other hand, Putin said that “there is no talk of bringing Russian forces into Donbas at the moment.”
He went on to say that after the recognition of the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, the Minsk agreements no longer exist. “We signed agreements yesterday, and these agreements have relevant clauses that say we will provide these republics with appropriate assistance, including military assistance. Since there is conflict there under this resolution, we make it clear that if necessary we intend to meet our commitments,” he said at a news conference.
Putin later claimed that for eight years Russia had been interested in abiding by the Minsk agreements, as they were the result of a compromise. He stressed that Moscow was forced to make this decision, as Europe failed to force Kiev to abide by the agreements, which came to naught long before the recognition of sovereignty. In addition, “Kiev has repeatedly stated that it does not intend to meet its obligations.”
He said, “The best solution to this issue would be for the current authorities in Kiev to refuse to join NATO. “Ukraine must recognize the will of the people living in Sevastopol and the Crimea.”
The dramatic decision was made hours after the President of Ukraine, Vladimir Zlansky, Announced that Kiev may sever diplomatic relations with Russia, in light of its decision to recognize the independence of the separatist provinces in the east of the country. Accordingly, a senior diplomat in Moscow was summoned for consultation.
At the same time, the Russian news agency TASS reported that Putin has no plans to try and restore the Russian Empire. It was also reported that the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Called Zalansky an “unstable and dependent person.” His Ukrainian counterpart, Pavel KlimkinFor his part, said that relations between the two countries were already at the bottom, and now they have “sunk below the bottom”.
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The White House has said it sees Russia’s moves in rebel-held eastern Ukraine as an “invasion.” The Japanese Foreign Minister announced that the Foreign Ministers of the G7 countries have also agreed to use this definition from now on. The US administration also announced that it was preparing to impose strong sanctions on Moscow. President Biden is also expected to make a statement to the media in the evening.
Another Western country that reacted sharply to Putin’s move is Germany, when the chancellor Olaf Schultz Ordered the cancellation of the latest approval given for the Nord Stream 2 project, noting that his country does not accept Russian recognition in the separatist regions of Ukraine. “We need to re-evaluate the situation, with an emphasis on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, whose final approval will not be able to be given throughout Russia’s recent operations,” he explained. In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he regretted suspending the project and hoped it was only a temporary situation, the Interfax news agency reported.
German Foreign Minister, Analana Barbuk, Called on foreign ministers from the G7 countries to convene and discuss the deepening crisis between Russia and Ukraine. “The G7 continues to be closely coordinated on the crisis in Russia,” the German Foreign Ministry said in a tweet without further details. She went on to tell reporters that the G7 countries are united over sanctions on Russia following its recognition of the rebel regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states. “We will respond in unity with a comprehensive bundle of sanctions that we have prepared over the past few weeks and that we can further refine,” she noted.
Prime Minister of France Jean Castax He said his country would support sanctions against Russia in the escalating crisis. “Russia is violating international law after recognizing two disengaging regions in eastern Ukraine,” he said.
Work on the Nord Stream 2 project in Russia (Photo: REUTERS / Anton Vaganov / File Photo)As mentioned, this is a gas pipeline, built from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, more than 1,200 km long (2,400 km on two lines). This is an expansion pipeline for the Nord Stream project. At the same time, the pipeline passes through exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of five countries – Germany, Denmark, Russia, Finland and Sweden.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson Announced the imposition of sanctions on five Russian banks, and on three senior officials in the country – including businessman Gennady Tymchenko. The sanctions mean, among other things, that the three will not be allowed to enter British territory. In addition, the British Foreign Office has warned that if Russia does not stop escalating in Ukraine, the government will soon introduce legislation that will prevent Moscow from issuing debts to London markets.
Romania, for its part, has announced that it is prepared to receive up to half a million refugees from Ukraine, in the event of a Russian invasion. The UN refugee agency said it had not seen an increase in the movement of people fleeing the country, but governments and towns in Eastern Europe near the Ukrainian border were preparing to take in people, if necessary.
“Express concern about the security of Israelis and emissaries in Ukraine”
Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, Spoke with Ben Caspit and Aryeh Eldad on 103FM and referred to the move of the Israeli embassy from Kiev to the city of Lvov. “Tomorrow we will start working from an office we rented in the area. We talk to the Russians and the Ukrainians, we talk to everyone, but the main message is de-escalation. We express concern about the security of Israelis and emissaries in Ukraine – and there are many more. We continue to call on them to leave.”
“Our treatment of our citizens is very different from the treatment of other countries. Therefore, we think it is right to stay here and keep in touch with local authorities, convey messages and follow what is happening. For that, it is necessary to be here physically – until we can return to Kiev. “More and more Israelis are leaving the country. After all, things today look much more serious than they did three days or a week ago, certainly two weeks ago. Things are constantly changing and developments are dramatic. I would not underestimate their consequences,” he added.
“I believe that if the situation worsens, we will definitely receive more inquiries from local Jews and we will probably also see an increase in the number of immigrants to Israel. At the moment we are not witnessing an increase in demand. Although the process will be accelerated, “.
Representation of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ukraine, transferred to the city of Lvov (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)Earlier, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid Talked to the ambassador and the embassy staff, who had recently arrived in the city of Lvov. The Minister stressed that the priority of the State of Israel is the preservation of the lives of the emissaries of the state and of the citizens of Israel who are in Ukraine as well as the large Jewish community in the country.
Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky, Upon arrival of the embassy staff in the city of Lviv a few hours ago, Video: Israeli Embassy in Ukraine
Subsequently, Lapid thanked the ambassador and the entire embassy staff and the Foreign Ministry staff for their accurate and smooth assessments and execution of the evacuation procedure. The embassy staff has joined the staff of the Temporary Consular Office, which was established in the city of Lvov last week and will continue to provide assistance to Israelis in need. In a statement issued this morning at the Foreign Ministry, Lapid expressed his appreciation to the neighbors of Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Moldova for responding to Israel’s request to allow Israeli citizens to cross the border crossings if necessary. The Foreign Ministry reiterates its call on all Israeli citizens to leave Ukraine immediately.
Assisted in the editing of the article: David Zevuluni, 103fm