Russia-China discuss Donetsk, Luhansk recognition

Moscow [Russia], February 24 (ANI): Russia and China on Thursday discussed Moscow's recognition of the people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.
The discussions took place between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a phone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, reported Sputnik.
The foreign ministers expressed a shared opinion that Kiev's refusal, "encouraged by the United States and its allies," to implement the Minsk agreements, approved by the UN Security Council, caused the current crisis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities escalating the ongoing tensions between the two countries.
Moreover, Wang said Lavrov that China understands Moscow's 'reasonable concerns on security issues' over Ukraine.
"An exchange of views took place concerning the current situation in eastern Ukraine following Russia's recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, and President Vladimir Putin's decision to respond to the appeal of the DPR and LPR heads, with the sanction of the Russian Federation Council of the Federal Assembly, by a special military operation to protect people, including hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens, from a real threat to their life and security, coming from the current Ukrainian regime, which does not abandon attempts to solve the Donbas crisis by force," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. (ANI)