1 of 3Photo: Hallgeir Vågenes / VG
GARDERMOEN (VG) Putin has recognized the breakaway states of Luhansk and Donetsk in Ukraine. The Norwegian government is now announcing immediate sanctions.
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– The situation in eastern Ukraine is critical.
This is how Russian President Vladimir Putin opened up the pre-recorded speech to the Russian people Monday night. He then signed a declaration there Russia recognizes the breakaway states as independent.
On Monday night, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor Party) met VG and TV2 at Gardermoen to inform about the situation in Ukraine.
– What has happened tonight is a very serious escalation of the situation in Ukraine. Recognizing parts of another country as breakaway republics is a violation of international law, he says.
– It is to attack another country’s territorial integrity. It condemns Norway, he adds.
The Donetsk and Luhansk regions have been controlled by Russian-backed separatists since 2014 – the same year that Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in eastern Ukraine.
The so-called Minsk agreement was drawn up in 2015 to put an end to acts of violence in eastern Ukraine. Although this has never been followed to the letter, Støre believes that the agreement has now been put to death once and for all.
– And the content of the speech Vladimir Putin gave is disturbing, says the Prime Minister.
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IN FARTA: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor Party) on board the plane on Monday night. 1 of 2Photo: Hallgeir Vågenes / VG
–Stoltenberg: – Trying to create a pretext for invading
In a press release from NATO Jens Stoltenberg also comes with a condemnation of Russia’s decision, and he asks them to still consider a diplomatic resort.
– This erodes the efforts for a solution to the conflict, and violates the Minsk agreements, which Russia is a party to, he says.
Moscow continues to fuel the conflict in eastern Ukraine by providing financial and military support to the separatists. They are trying to create a pretext for invading Ukraine once again, he adds.
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ERODS THE EFFORT: NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg believes that Russia should consider a diplomatic solution to the conflict over Ukraine, instead of giving support to the separatists. Alerts immediate sanctions
The White House has announced that President Biden will soon introduce a presidential order will impose sanctions on “persons operating” in the breakaway regions of Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, alerts in a press release that the EU will also impose sanctions immediately.
In a Twitter post, wine where Leyen strongly opposes Russia’s decision:
– The recognition of the two separatist territories in Ukraine is a clear violation of international law, Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the Minsk agreements, she writes.
Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt informs VG that Norway has also joined the EU sanctions.
– Norway has close contact with allies and partners, including the EU. We will contribute to a comprehensive and unified response to Russia’s actions. Norway has joined all the sanctions the EU has introduced as a result of Russia’s illegal actions in Ukraine, says the Foreign Minister.
Prime Minister Gahr Støre tells VG that there will be discussions in the European countries about what these sanctions will look like.
The British government says it will also announce new sanctions against Russia, according to Reuters.
“What has happened is extremely bad news,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a statement.
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, says the EU has agreed on a smaller sanctions package against Russia.
“It will concern those responsible for the recognition of Ukrainian breakaway states,” Rutte said.
French President Emmanuel Macron calls Russia’s decision a complete breach of Russia’s international obligations and an attack on Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty.
He also requests an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
Will support proposals for emergency meeting
Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor Party) believes Putin’s decision is another violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty:
– Norway condemns the Russian decision to recognize the self-proclaimed “people’s republics” in Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states, she says to VG.
Foreign Minister Huitfeldt says that Norway will support a possible proposal to hold an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the tense situation.
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WARNING: Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt believes Putin’s recognition is a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty. The chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Storting, Ine Eriksen Søreide (H), is also not satisfied:
– Russia continues its clear violations of international law, and that is completely unacceptable, Søreide says.
– We condemn Russia’s decision to recognize Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states. Norway has all the way clearly supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, she says.
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UNACCEPTABLE: Former Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide (H) is critical of Putin recognizing the breakaway states in Ukraine. –
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