Putin to sign decree on Donbas soon; Macron, Scholz express disappointment

Moscow [Russia], February 22 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday told French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that he intends to sign a decree on Donbas soon, said Kremlin in a statement.
"Taking into account all this, the Russian president said that he intended to sign a corresponding decree in the near future. The president of France and the federal chancellor of Germany expressed disappointment with this development. At the same time, they indicated their readiness to continue contacts," the statement says, reported Sputnik
Putin, during phone conversations, briefed Macron and Scholz on the results of the expanded meeting of the Russian Security Council.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin had phone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Vladimir Putin briefed them on the results of the extended meeting of the Russian Security Council, which considered the current situation around Donbas in the context of the State Duma's decision on the recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics," the statement says.
Russia claims the surge of forces has always been for military exercises and that it poses no threat to Ukraine or any other nation, but has refused to offer any other explanation for the biggest build-up of military might in Europe since the Cold War.
On Saturday, Russia's Rostov Region had opened 15 border crossings for refugees from the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas. Later on the same day, Denis Pushilin, the head of pro-Russian separatist DPR announced that he had signed a decree on general mobilisation. (ANI)