BRUSSELS, November 4 (RIA Novosti) – The elections in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR, LPR) pose a threat to the reconciliation of the Ukrainian crisis and the dialogue with Moscow, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Tuesday.
"We stated very clearly already on Sunday evening that these so-called elections are not only illegal and illegitimate and will not be recognized, but also that they risk putting the path of dialogue and peace in serious danger, that was in a difficult but wise way put in place by [Ukrainian] President [Petro] Poroshenko with the work on the Minsk protocol and the Minsk process," Mogherini said at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
"This is the main risk that I see, that we close the window of opportunity for internal dialogue and for dialogue with Russia," she added.
The DPR and LPR held general and parliamentary election on Sunday, with the leaders assuming responsibilities on Tuesday. Russia recognized the elections, saying they correspond to the Minsk protocol, signed on September 5, according to which Ukraine was to ensure early local elections in the two breakaway regions.
