French President Macron called for sanctions against Russia due to the recognition of the DNR and LNR

Photo: John Thys / Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron called for targeted European sanctions against Russia in connection with Moscow's recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. This was reported in the Elysee Palace, writes TASS.

“The President of the Republic condemns the decision taken by the President of the Russian Federation to recognize the separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. Macron called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council, as well as the application of targeted European sanctions, ”the communiqué released after the meeting of the Defense and National Security Council says.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DNR and LNR).

Earlier, the heads of the DPR and LPR Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik addressed Putin with a request to recognize the independence of the republics. Pushilin, in turn, also asked the President to consider the possibility of concluding an agreement on friendship and cooperation, providing for cooperation in the field of defense.

On February 15, the deputies of the State Duma, in the course of a rating vote, decided to immediately turn to Putin with the question of the need to recognize the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR.

The situation in the Donbass escalated sharply on February 17. The republics and Kiev accuse each other of numerous violations of the truce. In the DPR and LPR, a general mobilization was announced and a mass evacuation of residents to Russia was organized. According to the Kremlin, the situation on the line of contact in the Donbass is escalated to the maximum.