Hours ahead of Donetsk' planned referendum this weekend, Russia's President Vladimir Putin - speaking from a recently reclaimed Sevastopol (and denounced for being their by Ukraine's acting government) - has made anything but the market's much-needed diplomatic comments...
- *PUTIN SAYS OTHER COUNTRIES MUST RESPECT RUSSIA: INTERFAX
- *PUTIN SAYS OTHERS MUST RESPECT RIGHT TO HISTORICAL JUSTICE: IFX
- *PUTIN SAYS NATIONS MUST RESPECT SELF-DETERMINATION RIGHT: IFX
In other words, while he publicly asked for the referendum to be postponed; the people are demanding it and he will live by their will... and if they choose independence, he will enforce it. On a day when 20 have already died in clashes, is it any wonder event risk concerns this weekend are surging.
Ukraine is not happy about his visit...
Statement of the MFA of Ukraine on unauthorised visit by the Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses the strongest protest against today’s unauthorised visit by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, temporally occupied by Russia.
Ukraine considers this step to be a blatant disrespect by the Russian side for the legislation of Ukraine, international law; gross violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, the United Nations Charter, the United Nations General Assembly Resolution "On Territorial Integrity of Ukraine ", as well as the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation of 1997.
This provocation makes yet another clear evidence that Russia has been consciously escalating tensions in Ukrainian-Russian relations and unwilling to bring bilateral disputes to diplomatic solution.
We demand the Russian side to return to the civilized way of international relations, listen to the decisive voice of international community, as well as repeal all the illegal acts on occupation and annexation of the part of Ukraine’s territory.