Moscow, Russia- President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed four treaties formally incorporating the regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk and Zaporizhzhia.
The heads of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, as well as the leaders of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Regions, Vladimir Saldo and Evgeny Balitsky, signed the accession treaties together with Putin at Friday’s ceremony.
The move follows official requests by the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the two southern Ukrainian regions, which declared independence, to join Russia. All four territories held referendums on the issue between September 23 and 27, which saw overwhelming support for the move, according to the results announced earlier this week by the local election committees.
“This is the will of millions of people. People living in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson region and Zaporizhzhia region are becoming our compatriots forever. People came to the referendum and made their choice to be with their historical motherland, Russia.
These people carried love for their historical homeland in their hearts and passed it on to their children. Welcome home! We became stronger because we are together. The truth is behind us, and truth means strength, and thus victory. Victory will be ours,” said Putin.
The signing ceremony marked the start of the formal process of accession, which will entail the treaties being reviewed by the Constitutional Court and by both chambers of the Parliament.
Meanwhile, western leaders have condemned Putin for signing accession treaties with United States (US) President Joe Biden vowing to implement fresh sanctions.
“The United States condemns Russia’s fraudulent attempt today to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory. The United States will always honour Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders. We will continue to support Ukraine’s efforts to regain control of its territory by strengthening its hand militarily and diplomatically,” said Biden.
Biden also cited that the US would sanction anyone providing political or economic support to Russia and would sign a bill providing an additional US$12 billion to prop up Ukraine’s government and military.
In addition, United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister, Liz Truss, said the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia will continue to be regarded as part of Ukraine.
“The UK will never accept the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as anything other than Ukrainian territory. We will not hesitate to take further action, including imposing more sanctions to cripple Putin’s war machine,” said Truss.
