Kenya has rejected Russia’s recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk areas of Ukraine as independent states.
During a United Nations Security Council urgent meeting to address the situation in Ukraine, Ambassador Martin Kimani said Kenya was gravely concerned by the announcement by Russia to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent states.
The meeting which was held on the brink of a major conflict in Ukraine also resolved that the action and announcement breach the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
“We do not deny that there may be serious security concerns in these regions, but they cannot justify the recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states. Not when there are multiple diplomatic tracks available and underway that had the ability to offer peaceful solutions,” said Amb Kimani.
Amb Kimani further condemned the trend, in that few decades, of powerful states including members of the Security Council breaching International Law with little regard.
“Multilateralism lies on its deathbed tonight (Monday), it has been assaulted as it has been by other powerful states in the recent past,” he added.
In finality, Amb Kimani called on all member states to stand behind the Security General in asking him to rally the Security Council member states to the standard defending multilateralism.
The remarks came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine after recognising them as independent on Monday.
Russian state television then showed Putin signing decrees recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics and directing the Russian Defense Ministry to deploy troops in those regions to carry out “peacekeeping functions.”
The order was condemned as a violation of international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty by several nations at an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Monday night.
Putin’s announcement also drew international condemnation and immediate U.S. sanctions to halt U.S. business activity in the breakaway regions and ban the import of all goods from those areas.
By Fred Azelwa.