ANKARA, February 23. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ankara will not accept Russia’s move to recognize the independence of the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk (DPR and LPR).
"President Erdogan pointed out that Turkey will not recognize the steps that infringe on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. He stressed that it is a principled position, and that the results should be achieved on the basis of the Minsk agreements," the Turkish president’s office said on Wednesday.
Earlier, Erdogan dubbed Russia’s move to recognize the independence of DPR and LPR as "unacceptable."
The situation at the Donbass engagement line flared up on February 17. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) reported the most massive bombardments by the Ukrainian armed forces over the past months. On February 18, LPR and DPR Heads Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin announced civilian evacuations from the republics to Russia due to the mounting danger of hostilities. On February 19, the Donbass republics announced a general mobilization.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a decision to recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid were signed with their leaders. On February 22, the State Duma and the Federation Council ratified both documents and Putin signed the respective laws on the same day. Putin commissioned the Russian Foreign Ministry to establish diplomatic relations with the DPR and the LPR and the Russian Defense Ministry to ensure peace there.