EU may not recognize Russian passports issued to residents of Donetsk and Lugansk
The European Council is ready to consider the possibility of not recognizing Russian passports issued to residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DNR and LNR), this was stated at the EU Summit in Brussels on June 20.
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| Russian passport |
The European Council will continue to monitor the situation in eastern Ukraine and stands ready, in close coordination with international partners, to consider further measures, including non-recognition of Russian passports, the statement said.
It was reported earlier that the EU will discuss new sanctions over the issuance of Russian passports to Donbass residents.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on April 24, 2019, simplifying the process of obtaining a Russian passport for residents of Ukraine's Lugansk and Donetsk regions. According to the new rules, residents of the DNR and LNR will be able to apply for Russian citizenship before the expiration of five years from the date of receiving a residence permit.
Ukraine does not recognize passports issued by Russia to residents of the DNR and LNR. On June 4, a deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Oleg Musiy, introduced a proposal to confiscate the property of Donbass residents who received Russian passports. The corresponding bill was published on the website of the Ukrainian Parliament.
