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15 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 FEBRUARY 2022 NEWS UKRAINE CRISIS Russia orders troops into eastern Ukraine AFTER recognising them as in- dependent states, Russian Presi- dent Vladimir Putin has ordered troops into two rebel-held re- gions in eastern Ukraine. Russia said the troops would engage in "peacekeeping" in the two rebel-held regions; howev- er, the United States said calling them peacekeepers was "non- sense," and that Russia was cre- ating a pretext for war. The two regions are home to Russian-backed rebels who have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014. Ukraine's president accused Russia of wilfully violating its sovereignty. Last night Volodymyr Zelensky said the country wanted peace but declared: "We are not afraid" and "will not give anything away to anyone". He said that Kyiv needed "clear and effective ac- tions of support" from its inter- national partners. At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, US Am- bassador Linda Thomas-Green- field dismissed Russia's claims that troops would be taking on a "peacekeeping" role, saying: "We know what they really are". She said that recognising Lu- hansk and Donetsk as inde- pendent was part of Russia's bid to create a reason to invade Ukraine further. Call for a peaceful resolution to the conflict - Evarist Bartolo Maltese Foreign Minister Evar- ist Bartolo wrote on Facebook that Russia's actions are a direct violation of the territorial integ- rity and sovereignty of Ukraine and against the principles of the United Nations. "We call for a peaceful reso- lution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine in accordance with the Minsk Agreement," Bartolo said. The US signs executive order United States President Joe Biden has signed an executive order that prohibits new in- vestment, trade and financing by Americans in the breakaway regions. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia's actions amounted to "a flagrant viola- tion of the sovereignty and in- tegrity of Ukraine" that breaks international law. The EU pledged to "react with unity, firmness and with de- termination in solidarity with Ukraine". European Commission Presi- dent Ursula von der Leyen, Eu- ropean Council chief Charles Michel, European foreign policy chief Josep Borrel and European Parliament president. Roberta Metsola wrote on Twitter: "The recognition of the two separatist territories in Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law, the territori- al integrity of Ukraine and the Minsk agreements. The EU and its partners will react with unity, firmness and determination in solidarity with Ukraine." Russia recognises the inde- pendence of two rebel regions On Monday, Putin recognised the independence of two rebel regions in eastern Ukraine and ordered his troops to carry out peacekeeping operations there. The decision sees Russia recog- nising the independence of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in Ukraine. In a lengthy televised speech, Putin said modern Ukraine had been "created" by Soviet Russia, referring to the country as "an- cient Russian lands". He has ordered Russian troops to engage in peacekeep- ing operations in the breaka- way regions. Russia has been amass- ing troops and artillery along Ukraine's border amid fears it is planning a full-scale invasion. Western leaders have con- demned Putin's decision as a vi- olation of international law. EU foreign affairs ministers met on Tuesday to discuss a first package of sanctions against Russia after Presi- dent Vladimir Putin ordered troops into two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen and European Coun- cil President Charles Michel said on Tuesday that a pack- age of sanctions will be for- mally tabled this afternoon. An informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers, chaired by High Representa- tive Josep Borrell, is current- ly underway. The sanctions aim to target those involved in the deci- sion to enter the pro-Rus- sian Ukrainian territories, as well as any banks financing the Russian military or other operations in the same areas. The EU is also looking to tackle Russia's ability to ac- cess the bloc's capital and financial markets while tar- geting trade from the two breakaway regions to and from the EU. Western countries are im- posing sanctions on Russia after Putin deployed troops in two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine after recog- nising them as independent states. Parts of the regions are controlled by pro-Rus- sian rebels. Putin then instructed the defence ministry to assume a peacekeeping mission in the two pro-Russian regions. EU finalises first package of sanctions against Russia A Ukrainian serviceman fires an anti-tank weapon during a drill on Tuesday