State Duma appeals to Putin to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk republics

Russia’s legislature, the State Duma, voted in favor of
appealing immediately to President Putin to recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk
republics. The measure was supported by 351 legislators, tass.com reported on
Feb. 15.

The appeal, which had been put forward by the
communists, beat out a competing resolution by the United Russia party that
would have forwarded the appeal to the foreign ministry instead.

The speaker of the legislature announced on Telegram
that recognition would give grounds for Russia to start acting on security
guarantees.

James Hydzik: Recognition
would shred the Minsk-2 Agreements. Given the solidarity shown by Ukraine and
its western partners, and the futility of pushing Russia’s view of the rather
vague document, ending this agreement might be a good idea for Putin. In the
Russian view, having Donetsk and Luhansk ask for weapons and security
guarantees would be “grounded” on recognition, and to them would be formally
equivalent to the U.S. supplying Ukraine. They would see it as an act of
holding up the mirror to the West.

At the same time, not making a decision while having
spokespeople talk about security support would give Putin an advantage both in
negotiating with Zelensky and with a NATO that would have to decide if this
should be seen as an incursion. And troops don’t have to be worried about being
fired upon by actual Ukrainian forces – though perhaps provocations would occur
there that could be blamed on Ukraine. As the threat of a general invasion
recedes, the overall threat to Ukraine is possibly getting worse.