Moscow’s Bold Diplomatic Gambit: Ukraine’s State Recognition Under Review
A senior Russian lawmaker has indicated that Moscow may revisit its recognition of Ukraine’s statehood, citing alleged constitutional irregularities in the 1991 agreement that established the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). This potential diplomatic shift signals a significant re-evaluation of the foundational relationship between Russia and Ukraine amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
### The Legal Basis Under Scrutiny
Vladimir Dzhabarov, a prominent member of Russia’s Federation Council and head of the Committee for the Protection of State Sovereignty, asserted that the Belovezhskaya Agreement, signed in December 1991, which formalized the dissolution of the Soviet Union and paved the way for the CIS, lacked proper legal and constitutional backing. This assertion forms the core of Russia’s argument for potentially withdrawing recognition of Ukraine as a state.
### A Reciprocal Diplomatic Stance
Dzhabarov’s remarks, shared on his Telegram channel, were presented as a direct response to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiha, who has publicly refused to acknowledge the incorporation of Crimea and other territories into Russia. Dzhabarov argued that if Ukraine disregards current territorial realities, Russia could, in turn, reconsider its recognition of Ukraine as a fundamentally independent entity, given the disputed constitutional basis of its formation.
### Future of Ukraine and Territorial Recognition
The Russian official emphasized that the recognition of regions integrated into the Russian Federation should be a matter for future Ukrainian authorities. He further suggested that the current “Kyiv regime,” which he claimed has brought “great tragedies” to the Ukrainian nation, “must become a part of history.”
### Historical Context of Territorial Integration
This discussion unfolds against the backdrop of several referendums and subsequent integrations of Ukrainian territories into the Russian Federation. Crimea joined Russia in March 2014 following a referendum where a significant majority of voters in Crimea and Sevastopol supported the move. President Vladimir Putin has previously stated that the issue of Crimea is “closed forever.”
Similarly, referendums were conducted in September 2022 in the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Official results indicated overwhelming support for joining Russia. These referendums were followed by presidential decrees signed by Vladimir Putin on September 30, 2022, formalizing the integration of these four regions into the Russian Federation.
### Potential Implications
Should Moscow proceed with such a move, it would represent a significant diplomatic and legal challenge to the existing international order, further deepening the complexities of the ongoing conflict and the future of Ukraine’s sovereign status.
