Why Recognition of Donbas Matters for Russia’s Relations With the West

Recognition of Donbas as Russian territory carries major importance for Russia's future relations with other states and for easing sanctions pressure. Nikolai Topornin, director of the Center for European Information, shared this view in an interview with Pravda.Ru.

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, opposed any possible recognition of Donbas as part of Russia. He described Moscow's demand as unacceptable and stressed that Ukrainian territories, in his words, "will remain Ukrainian.”

Why Legal Recognition Matters

According to Topornin, recognition of Donbas as Russian territory plays a decisive role in shaping Russia's relations with other countries. Without official legal recognition, these territories will remain the subject of international disputes and a key reason for maintaining sanctions.

"Recognition of Donbas has enormous significance because Russia's relations with other states depend on it. If these territories do not receive recognition as Russian, previously imposed sanctions will remain in place and continue to hinder economic development and improvements in living standards. As a result, Russia will keep facing unfriendly countries that use this situation as a tool of pressure,” he said.

The political analyst added that even if Russia maintains full control over the region, uncertainty will persist unless other countries formally recognize Donbas as Russian territory.

The Crimean Precedent

Topornin pointed to the experience of Crimea as an example showing that factual integration alone does not resolve political and economic challenges.

"The situation may develop in such a way that Russia controls the territory, but its legal status remains unrecognized. We see this with Crimea: many years have passed, yet only a handful of countries have recognized it as Russian. As a result, investment does not flow in, foreign trade fails to develop, and economic restrictions remain in force. A similar scenario could emerge with Donbas,” he explained.

The Role of Ukraine and the West

The expert emphasized that the stance of Kyiv and Western countries remains decisive. If Ukraine continues to reject recognition of the new territories, European allies will maintain sanctions and treat Donbas as a "temporarily occupied region.”

"If Zelensky does not recognize Donbas as Russian, European countries will not change their position either. They will continue to speak about illegal annexation and violations of international law and will support sanctions policies. This means that full-fledged economic relations with the West will remain impossible — there will be no trade, no investment, and no access to international markets,” the political analyst stated.

Uncertainty Even After a Peace Agreement

Topornin also noted that even the signing of a peace agreement would not guarantee long-term stability. In global practice, new political leaders often revise such documents.

"Even if an agreement is signed, no one can guarantee that it will not be revised in a few years. New leaders may come to power, declare it imposed, and refuse to implement it. This uncertainty means that tensions with Ukraine and the West will persist, sanctions will remain, and Russia will have to maintain significant forces along its new borders,” he concluded.