Staff of newly elected Ukrainian president calls for increased sanctions against Russia
The team of Vladimir Zelensky, who recently won the presidential election in Ukraine, made a statement that sanctions should be imposed because Russian leader Vladimir Putin allowed the simplification of the procedure for obtaining Russian passports for residents of two self-proclaimed independent republics in Donbass - DPR and LPR.
Zelensky's staff said that such actions by Russia "have signs of occupation".
Russian journalists ask Zelensky to help free journalist Vyshinsky. Photo: Sputnik / Ramil Sitdikov.
"By issuing a decree on issuing Russian passports to Ukrainian citizens who are in the territories temporarily not controlled by our State, Russia has admitted its responsibility as an occupying State," Zelensky's team said.
The panel added that they expect “support from the international community in protecting its interests,” and called for increased diplomatic pressure and sanctions against Russia.
It was earlier announced that Mr. Putin had allowed simplifying the procedure for issuing Russian passports to residents of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic.
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