Ukraine's eastern self-proclaimed republics unite

DONETSK, Ukraine

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Lugansk People’s Republic in Ukraine united in a confederation named the Union of People’s Republics on Thursday.

Oleg Tsarev was elected unanimously as head of the self-proclaimed republics’ parliament by 49 deputies of the two republics - twenty-eight deputies from Lugansk and 21 from Donetsk People’s Republic.

The Union of People’s Republic speaker of parliament, Tsarev made a statement via social media thanking the separatist deputies for their commitment.

The parliament later approved the Union of People’s Republic’s constitution which states that the union is a democratic and federal state.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks on Thursday with the Russian Security Council’s permanent members on the current developments in Ukraine concentrating on efforts to extend the ceasefire, according to statement made by the Kremlin press office.

Ukraine’s military and pro-Russia separatists have been engaged in constant fighting for more than two months in the country’s eastern provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk where pro-Russia sentiments are running high among the ethnic Russian community.

President Petro Poroshenko said on June 18 that a 14-point peace plan will begin to be implemented with his orders on an unilateral ceasefire, which will be followed with administrative reforms to grant regional governments more authority.

www.aa.com.tr/en