UN Security Council members convened an urgent late night meeting Monday to discuss Russia’s decision to recognize the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine as independent states.
The meeting came at the request of Ukraine hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow’s recognition of the two self-proclaimed republics in a televised event.
“We very much regret this decision, which risks having regional and global repercussions,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, as the first speaker.
Highlighting the importance of dialogue in her remarks, DiCarlo said negotiations are the only way to address the differences among the key actors regarding regional security issues and the settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
