The European Union on Thursday called on Russia to facilitate the granting of Russian passports to residents of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, saying it was a "new attack" on Ukraine´s sovereignty.
The statement, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, "is a new Russian attack on the sovereignty of Ukraine," spokeswoman Federica Mugherini said in a statement.
"The timing of such a decision immediately after the Ukrainian elections shows Russia´s intentions to further destabilize Ukraine and escalate the conflict."
The EU urged Russia to "refrain from any steps that violate the Minsk Conventions and impede the full return of non-government-controlled areas to Ukraine."
Germany and France, the sponsors of the peace process in Ukraine, condemned the Russian decision and said it was contrary to the spirit and objectives of the Minsk Agreements.
Putin signed the decree three days after the election of Volodymyr Zelinsky as president of Ukraine. The people of the self-declared republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, which belong to the pro-Russian and foreign-backed rebels, are in control of Ukraine.
The conflict between separatists loyal to Russia and Ukrainian forces has killed some 13,000 people in five years. Since the signing of the Minsk Agreements, successive armistice periods have allowed the level of violence to be reduced without a final end. Moscow does not recognize the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, but in February 2017, a decree signed by Vladimir Putin recognized the passports issued by the two republics.
