LONDON – The Russian-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine may consider joining Russia once it controls all of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, its news agency quoted separatist leader Denis Pushilin as saying on Tuesday.
“As for joining the Russian Federation, as for the desire and aspiration, they have been clearly visible since 2014 – the desire to be in Russia,” Pushilin was quoted as saying by the Donetsk News Agency.
“But now the main thing is to reach the constitutional limits of the republic. We’ll find out then,” he said.
The comments come two days after the leader of the other Russian-backed eastern Ukrainian rebel region, Luhansk, said it could hold a referendum on joining Russia.
Kyiv said such a vote would have no legal basis and would trigger a stronger international response.
Three days before the order to invade Ukraine on February 24, President Vladimir Putin recognized the breakaway territories in Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states, although the rest of the world considers them part of Ukraine.
Ukraine, which says it is fighting for its very existence against what it describes as imperial land-grabbing by Russia, has repeatedly said it will never agree to Russia’s annexation of its territory — the most difficult part of the peace talks with Moscow.
(Writing by Conor Humphries; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)