The European Union says Russia is trying to gradually absorb parts of eastern Ukraine, according to a document the bloc shared this week with member states, Bloomberg reports.
In the paper, the EU stated that the Kremlin's moves – such as organizing illegitimate elections and issuing passports to locals – are “aimed at de facto integration of Ukraine’s non-governmental-controlled areas into Russia.”
The EU’s foreign-affairs arm, the EEAS, will prepare a report on the matter, according to the paper.
In addition, the EU document presents options the bloc could take to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience to Russian aggression, including:
- Stepping up support in tackling “hybrid threats including countering cyber threats and disinformation”;
- Helping Ukraine’s coronavirus-vaccination program, “especially of vulnerable groups in order to avoid further weakening of the country through a prolonged health and socio-economic crisis”;
- Bolstering energy security to lower Ukraine's dependence on Russia;
- Improving efforts to deny recognition of Russian passports issued to residents of Crimea and parts of the Donbas;
- Considering allowing Ukraine to participate in some EU security projects.
The document was discussed at a meeting of the political and security committees of the European Union on Tuesday, May 11. EU ambassadors had diverging views on the paper.
Russia's presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov immediately reacted to the document.
“Russia isn’t planning to absorb anyone and hasn’t ever done so,” Peskov said during a conference call on Thursday when asked about the EU paper.
Russia has repeatedly denied plans to take over the territories, saying it’s committed to a now-stalled 2015 peace deal under which they’d receive substantial autonomy within Ukraine.