You're reading: Russian envoy: Kyiv needs east Ukrainian partners having public mandate

Moscow - Moscow is perplexed by the EU response to the Nov. 2 elections in Donbas, said Russian Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov. 

“Logically, the European Union should have welcomed the election as a step of eastern Ukraine towards de-escalation of the crisis,” Chizhov said in an interview published by Kommersant on Oct. 31.

Head of the EU Delegation to Russia Vygaudas Usackas threatened Moscow with fresh sanctions a few days ago if it recognized the elections in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics.

“Sanctions do not scare Russia,” Chizhov said.

He is confident that the new Ukrainian government will need partners in Donbas. “Partners having a public mandate. A way to obtain this mandate is the elections scheduled for Nov. 2,” he said.