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Speaker says recognizing Donbass’ independence should end bloodshed, deaths of civilians

Vyacheslav Volodin noted that Russia had been trying to get Ukraine to implement the Minsk accords for a long time, but "Kiev made them null and void once they started shelling the civilians of Donbass"

MOSCOW, February 22. /TASS/. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin assured that recognizing the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), and ratifying the treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid should put a stop to the slaughter of Russians and compatriots living there.

"The recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and the ratification of treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid should end the slaughter and death of our citizens and compatriots living there," the top legislator wrote on his Telegram channel on Tuesday.

The Duma speaker recalled that the lower house would consider the issue of ratifying the treaties on friendship and mutual assistance of Russia with both republics on Tuesday. "A week ago, the State Duma appealed to the President of Russia with a request to recognize the DPR and the LPR as independent and sovereign states. In a situation when we are facing a humanitarian catastrophe, we see how tens of thousands of refugees, women and children, are forced to flee their homes, the only way out is to make this decision," he stressed.

Russia has been trying to get Ukraine to implement the Minsk accords for a long time, Volodin noted, but "Kiev made them null and void once they started shelling the civilians of Donbass. The United States is interested in this conflict carrying on. Unfortunately, European countries were unable to influence these issues," the politician added.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the sovereignty of the DPR and LPR. Agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with the DPR’s leader Denis Pushilin and the LPR’s leader Leonid Pasechnik.

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Ukraine crisis Foreign policy Recognition of sovereignty of DPR and LPR

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