Germany slams Russia’s plans to recognize Ukraine’s separatist regions

Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Monday warned against Russian plans to recognize Ukraine’s separatist regions as independent states.

A phone call this afternoon between Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin “again focused on the situation in and around Ukraine and the deployment of Russian troops on the Russian-Ukrainian and Belarusian-Ukrainian borders,” said spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in a press statement.

“Chancellor Scholz condemned plans in Russia to recognize the so-called People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states. Such a step would be in blatant contradiction to the Minsk agreements on the peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and would be a unilateral breach of these agreements by Russia,” he added.

During the call, Scholz called on Putin to de-escalate immediately and withdraw Russian forces from the border with Ukraine, according to the statement.

He emphasized that it is now important, especially in eastern Ukraine, to comply with the cease-fire and set signs of relaxation.

The chancellor is presently consulting with his closest partners, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Hebestreit said.

- Invasion would be ‘serious mistake’

Scholz warned Russia over the weekend that a military attack on neighboring Ukraine would have severe consequences for the Kremlin.

"A military aggression against Ukraine would be a serious mistake. There is no justification for the deployment of well over 100,000 soldiers on the Ukrainian border," Scholz told the Munich Security Conference.

"War is threatening Europe again, and the risk is anything but averted," he added.

Scholz made clear Russia would pay a high price "politically, economically and geostrategically”, if it attacks Ukraine.

That notwithstanding, Scholz stressed there was still room for a diplomatic solution to the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

Western countries have accused Russia of amassing nearly 150,000 troops along the Ukrainian border in preparation for an imminent invasion.

Moscow has repeatedly denied any plan to invade Ukraine and instead accused Western countries of undermining Russia's security through NATO's expansion toward its borders.