Measurements against Moscow could be decided from Tuesday afternoon at a meeting of foreign ministers in Paris.
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The ultimate attempt at Emmanuel Macron to try to “avoid the worst”, a conflict open to the heart of the continent, will have shown short: the recognition by Vladimir Putin of the two separatist Republics Prorussses of the Donbass defeats the Diplomatic efforts committed by the French President since the beginning of the year. The decision of the Chief of Kremlin buries the Minsk agreements, signed in 2015 to appease, through a mediation of France and Germany, the conflict between Kiev and Moscow on the fate of the regions located in the East Ukraine. In order to give a chance to diplomacy, Paris and Berlin had mobilized, in vain, in recent weeks to try to unlock the process, paralyzed for months.
The decision of Vladimir Putin barely known, convictions followed each other in the European capitals, which, like the United States, had to examine, from Tuesday, February 22, in the afternoon. adoption of targeted sanctions. These measures could be decided at an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers gathered in Paris, margin of a peak with Indo-Pacific countries. “We must act quickly, these sanctions will be partial, but fast,” said Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs. If necessary, an extraordinary meeting of the European Council could take place quickly.
In unison with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, Mr Macron denounced “a unilateral violation of the international commitments of Russia” and “an invasion of The sovereignty of Ukraine “. “This decision will not remain unanswered,” said Olaf Scholz spokesperson after a telephone interview between the German Chancellor, Mr. Macron and the US President Joe Biden. Josep Borrell has redoubled criticism after the announcement of the sending of Russian soldiers in the donbass immediately made by Mr. Putin: this “so-called peacekeeping mission” is a “new direct aggression against Ukraine” .
“Paranoic considerations”
In the hope of avoiding an escalation, Westerners still hoped, in recent days, that Vladimir Putin would not ask the resolution adopted last week by the Duma, with a view to a recognition of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Louhansk. Russian President had been reassuring on the issue, Mr. Macron said, at the end of their five-hour interview at the Kremlin on February 7th.
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