Putin: Minsk agreements no longer exist

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Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed on Tuesday federal laws on cooperation and friendship between Russia and the two Donbass republics.

Following the signing ceremony, Putin said that all agreements on Karabakh conflict resolution are fully implemented after his talks with Aliyev, stressing that “Minsk agreements do not exist anymore, we recognized DPR and LPR."

The Russian President added that the recognition of DPR and LPR envisions recognition of their constitutions which indicate borders of these republics.

Putin also said that the Minsk Agreements, which were to preserve peace and stability in eastern Europe, were killed by Kiev's actions long before Moscow's recognition of the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics.

"The Minsk Agreements were killed long before yesterday's recognition of the Donbas people's republics, and neither by us, nor by the representatives of these republics, but by the current authorities in Kiev," Putin told journalists.

On the use of the military in Donbass, he said, "We will fulfill our obligations if necessary," stressing that he does not mean that Russian troops will enter Donbass right away.

Putin went on to say that the best solution would be Kiev refusing to join NATO and adhering to neutrality, stressing that “Ukraine getting tactical nuclear weapons is a strategic threat for Russia.”

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the DPR and LPR's sovereignty. The politicians introduced revisions to the ratification laws, saying the treaties were effective as soon as they were published.

Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, the rulers of the Donbass republics, signed the contracts with Putin. The contracts are the same. They say, among other things, that "the sides shall construct their relations as friendly nations, systematically controlled by the principles of mutual respect for state sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of problems," as well as equality and non-interference.

Here’s what you need to know:

Security and borders

According to the treaties, each side must allow the other to construct and operate military bases and installations on its land. "For the purpose of maintaining the security of the contracting parties and also peace and stability either contracting party shall grant the other contracting party the right to build, use and improve its military infrastructures (facilities) on its territory," the treaties say. This clause will be used in each situation within the scope of unique agreements.

"Proceeding from the contracting parties' interests of security, as well as peace and stability," the DPR and LPR borders will be jointly guarded. On this subject, a separate agreement will be reached.

Double citizenship

On proven legal grounds, citizens of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics will be allowed to get Russian citizenship. Either contracting party must "recognize the documents issued by the other contracting party's bodies of state power and bodies of local self-government."

"The contracting parties shall ensure the protection of ethnic, language, cultural and religious identity of the ethnic minorities on their territories and create conditions for the preservation and development of this identity," one of the articles in both treaties reads.

Members of ethnic minorities shall have the freedom to express, preserve, and develop their culture in all of its forms, "without being subjected to any attempts at assimilation against their desire," according to the parties. They also committed to taking concrete steps on their respective territories to combat incitement to violence based on nationality, race, ethnic or religious intolerance, enmity, or hatred.

Banking sector

On the basis that the Russian currency is the legal means of payment on their territory, Russia will take effective measures to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics' financial and banking systems. The parties pledge to "ensure favorable economic, financial, and legal conditions for business and other economic activity, including the encouragement and mutual protection of investments," as well as to promote various forms of cooperation and direct people-to-people contacts in all possible ways, according to the documents.

Further efforts to link and unite the energy, transportation, and telecommunication sectors are envisaged in the accords with the DPR and LPR.

"The contracting parties shall seek to achieve a high degree of economic integration and for these purposes they will be developing trading and economic cooperation and taking measures to unite energy and transport systems and interconnect communication and telecommunication systems," the treaty with the DPR adds.