Russia on Monday drew up a plan to defuse tensions in Ukraine amid signs that the West is losing initiative in the crisis to Moscow.
The five-point plan released by the Russian Foreign Ministry calls for a constitutional reform in Ukraine to make it a federal state with a “neutral political and military status.” The plan provides for Ukraine’s regions to enjoy broad autonomy from the Centre in their social, economic, cultural and foreign trade policy.
Moscow further calls for Russian to be made Ukraine’s second official language and for recognition of Crimea’s referendum on breaking with Ukraine and rejoining Russia.
The plan was aired at a time when Western leaders voiced alarm over large-scale anti-government rallies and demonstrations in Russian-speaking industrial centres in south-eastern Ukraine, which threaten to split Ukraine. Inspired by Crimea’s example, protesters in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lugansk are demanding local referendums on the right to self-determination.
In a flurry of phone calls to Mr. Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in recent days, Western leaders pleaded with Moscow to do something to stop the wave of pro-Russian protests and appeared to be finally coming round to the Russian view on what is needed to de-escalate the Ukraine crisis.
Following U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s phone call to his Russian counterpart, Mr. Lavrov on Sunday the Russian Foreign Ministry said the two top diplomats agreed to push for Ukrainian constitutional reform and decentralisation of Ukraine.
“Lavrov and Kerry agreed to continue working contacts to find a settlement for Ukraine through a speedy launch of a constitutional reform with the support of the international community… and with respect for the interests of all regions of Ukraine,” the Russian Ministry said in a statement.
