WASHINGTON – Russia’s decision to simplify the process of granting Russian citizenship to residents of certain regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions undermines attempts to implement the Minsk agreements, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker has said.
“Russia’s recent decision to issue passports is highly provocative & is straight from its ‘occupation playbook’ and undermines efforts to implement Minsk & restore Donbas to Ukrainian control,” he said on Twitter on April 24.
“Donbas is Ukraine and the people there – regardless of preferred language – are Ukrainian,” he said.
It was reported earlier on April 24 that Russian President Vladimir Putin had signed the decree ‘On determining categories of individuals entitled to apply for Russian citizenship in line with a simplified procedure for humanitarian purposes,’ which grants this right those permanently residing in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The decree stipulates that applications for Russian citizenship from such individuals must be considered within three months from the moment applications and the essential documents are submitted. Russian citizenship would be granted starting from the day a decision is made.
