Putin revokes right to move on Ukraine

World Today

Russian President Vladimir Putin asked his country’s upper house of parliament to revoke his right to invade Ukraine. The Kremlin said the move was aimed at assisting peace talks, which began in Ukraine on Monday. Anya Ardayeva from CCTV news, Moscow has more.


In a move aimed at reducing tensions in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked his government to revoke authorization that gives him the power to invade its neighbor a sign Russia wants to calm the situation as peace talks get underway.
In March, Putin was granted the right to “use the Russian Federation’s Armed Forces on the territory of Ukraine until the social and political situation in that country normalizes”.

The move comes just a day after pro-Russian separatists agreed to a week-long cease-fire, unilaterally announced by Ukraine’s new president Petro Poroshenko on Monday.

President Putin wants right to move on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin asked his country's upper house of parliament to revoke his right to invade Ukraine. The Kremlin said the move was aimed at assisting peace talks, which began in Ukraine on Monday. Anya Ardayeva from CCTV news, Moscow has more.

Grigoryev Maxim, Director of Democracy Research Foundation: “This is Russia’s response to Ukraine, represented by its president promising a cease-fire, promising to stop the punitive operation which has been taking place in the south east of Ukraine. This is an encouragement to the new Ukrainian president from Russia, Ukraine’s biggest neighbor.”

The United States and the European Union threatened additional sanctions against Russia if Moscow did not do more to support peace negotiations. Poroshenko said Putin’s decision was a first practical step towards de-escalation.  However, some observers in Moscow say that while it looks like Moscow is ready to compromise on Ukraine, it doesn’t appear that Russia is prepared to change its long-term strategy aimed at maintaining influence in the region.

Yekaterina Kuznetsova, Chief Lecturer and the Highest School of Economics: “Russia currently has an understanding that keeping Ukraine from its final and irreversible turn to the EU is possible only by supporting instability in the region. Unless this strategy changes, we can expect this truce to be very short, needed only for catching breath and getting preparations out of the way for further escalation.”

Russia had pulled back tens of thousands of its troops from the border with Ukraine. However, a new Russian military buildup is reportedly underway in advance of military exercises in the region. Putin said he welcomed the truce in Ukraine and that he hoped it would be extended…adding that Russia will be watching further developments in Ukraine very carefully. Anya Ardayeva from CCTV News reports from Moscow.