Konstantin Zatulin: “Recognition of the DPR and LPR unties Ukraine’s hands”
The deputy is sure that the president will not support the appeal of the lower house
The State Duma adopted a resolution “On the appeal of the State Duma” to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on the need to recognize the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic. 351 deputies voted for the project proposed by the Communist Party faction, and we asked Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Head of the Duma Committee for CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, to express his position on this issue.
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– No, I didn't vote for this document.
– My point of view is known. I acknowledge the reasons for discussing this. The discussion may well be helpful. But what will such an initiative, one-sided, such an immediate recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics lead to? Only one thing – to the rejection of the Minsk agreements, to the collapse of all existing negotiation formats, including the Normandy one. Because this Norman format is based on the Minsk agreements.
In this case, we will do ourselves a disservice. We have elevated the Minsk agreements to the rank of a UN document, we insist on their implementation. And we ourselves are taking a step that will immediately be interpreted as the dismemberment of Ukraine, which crosses out all these agreements. It is impossible to imagine a better gift for the rabid in Ukraine.
What inspires the authors of the appeal? They wrote about it in their text. With a statement of what is happening there, everything is in order – it is quite satisfactory from the point of view of reality. But further, the authors write that the recognition of the republics will ensure the protection of their citizens, lead to a defuse of international tension and the restoration of regional stability, and initiate the process of their international recognition…
But all these noble goals are not realized through recognition in the current situation. Everything will be exactly the opposite. We are creating an excuse for Ukraine to abandon the Minsk agreements, and maybe something worse. Of course, if this proposal is supported by the president. I'm sure he won't support it.
Let me emphasize once again: we have no other documents better than the Minsk agreements. Throughout this time, we have emphasized our commitment to them, reproached Ukraine for sabotaging the agreements, reproached the West for not putting pressure on Ukraine. And the West had to maneuver. This path must be traveled.
If we are talking about the protection of citizens, then protection must be provided primarily by military means. I have repeatedly spoken about this: if Ukraine suddenly breaks the chain, attacks Donetsk and Luhansk, we must stand up. And then, by the way, we should immediately raise the issue of recognition.
We already had such an experience – in 2008. Saakashvili attacked South Ossetia – and right there, in full accordance with the previously announced measure, we recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
We could also lead today's discussion to this: if you attack, then we recognize – have it in mind. Instead, we say, “No, we still recognize.” But by doing so, we are giving free rein to Ukraine. Like, since Russia is going to recognize anyway, what's the point of negotiating with it? There is no other way but military.
– Well, of course! I think Vladimir Vladimirovich was aware that such an appeal could be accepted. And he can use it. He can try, for example, when discussing this topic with Western partners, to refer to the fact that we have the following point of view in the state and society: our parliament supports the idea of recognition and you should take this into account.
That is, we seem to adopt the method that is used in relation to us in the West. When, for example, the administration of the President of the United States, while negotiating with us, begins to refer to the fact that they might be ready to solve some issues, but there are other opinions in Congress, which the White House cannot but take into account. We, too, can play a similar game.
But we must be aware that they use it for their own purposes. And have already started using it. They said, read everywhere, that we have already recognized the DNR and LNR. By the way, many of our journalists on TV channels are confused. They say: “Oh, holiday, victory, we recognized!” And here follows the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: “Russia withdrew from the Minsk agreements.”
Sometimes you can hear that we did not sign anything in Minsk. Why didn't you sign? We are not a party to the Minsk agreements, but we are a guarantor. And if we recognize the DPR and LPR, then we refuse our guarantees. But by doing this, we are not strengthening the DPR and LPR, but creating a belli incident.
The people who prepared this document do not realize the complexity of the problem, the depth of the confrontation, what forces are involved in it. This, of course, is not a victory. In my opinion, this is a mistake. Of course, with the best of intentions – like all mistakes.