Russia to recognize separatist elections in eastern Ukraine

The Kremlin will recognize upcoming elections in Ukraine's separatist eastern regions, according to Russia's foreign minister. Kyiv has accused Moscow of undermining efforts to end the conflict in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday expressed support for upcoming local elections in eastern Ukraine, entrenching the split between the Western-leaning national government in Kyiv and the pro-Kremlin separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Lavrov told the Izvestia daily that this Sunday's elections in the two self-proclaimed people's republics should "go ahead as agreed," saying that the polls were "important to legitimize their governments."

Last month, Kyiv and Moscow signed an agreement in Minsk aimed at ending the war in Ukraine's east, which has taken 3,700 lives since April. The agreement calls for the majority Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which have been granted a special status within Ukraine, to hold early elections on December 7.

But Lavrov said that Russia "will of course recognize the results" of Sunday's elections, although they're being held more than a month in advance of the date arranged under the Minsk agreement. Kyiv slammed Moscow's support for the Sunday polls in Luhansk and Donetsk.

"Russia's intentions directly contradict the Minsk accord, undermine the agreed process on de-escalation and peaceful resolution, and continue to weaken trust in [Russia] as a reliable international partner," said Dmytro Kuleba, a senior Ukrainian foreign ministry official.

Moscow has also agreed to recognize the results of Ukraine's national elections last Sunday, in which pro-Western parties secured a parliamentary majority. Voter turnout was the lowest in the embattled separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Elections did not take place in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia last March.

slk/se (AFP, dpa)  DW DE