Turkiye ‘rejects’ Russia's decision to recognize Ukraine's breakaway regions

ISTANBUL

Turkiye on Tuesday rejected Russia's decision to recognize Ukraine's breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, calling it “unacceptable.”

"The decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Republics, in addition to contradicting the Minsk Agreements, constitutes a clear violation of Ukraine's political unity and territorial integrity," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The Russian Federation’s decision is unacceptable and we reject it," it added.

"We reiterate once again our commitment to the preservation of Ukraine’s political unity and territorial integrity and invite all concerned parties to act with common sense and to abide by international law," it said.

The move came after Russian President Vladimir Putin officially recognized Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent states Monday and signed agreements with their separatist leaders in the Kremlin.

Tensions have recently risen dramatically in eastern Ukraine, with reports of a growing number of cease-fire violations, multiple shelling incidents, and the evacuation of civilians from the pro-Russian breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Western countries have accused Russia of amassing more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, prompting fears that it could be planning a military offensive against its former Soviet neighbor.

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.