Russian lawmakers give Vladimir Putin green light to use force in eastern Ukraine

Putin’s demands to end the crisis: recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, an end to Ukraine’s Nato membership bid and a halt to weapons shipments there

The White House calls Moscow’s troop deployments an ‘invasion’, as the West takes aim with sanctions

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A demonstrator holds a placard reading “Hands off Ukraine” during a rally in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:06am, 23 Feb 2022Updated: 1:33pm, 9 Mar 2022

Lawmakers gave Russian President Vladimir Putin permission to use force outside the country on Tuesday – a move that could presage a broader attack on Ukraine after the US said an invasion was already under way there.

Several European leaders said earlier in the day that Russian troops have moved into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin recognised their independence. But it was unclear how large the movements were, and Ukraine and its Western allies have long said Russian troops are fighting in the region. Moscow denies those allegations.

Members of the upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use force outside Russia – effectively formalising a Russian deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

Shortly after, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatens to plunge Europe back into war, raising the spectre of massive casualties, energy shortages and economic chaos around the globe.

Senators attend a session of the Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, in Moscow on Tuesday. Photo: Russia’s Federation Council via AFP

He called for international recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, an end to Ukraine’s Nato membership bid and a halt to weapons shipments there. The West has decried Russia’s annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from the Nato alliance.