Referendum to join Russia International reactions to Putin's announcement of military mobilization

A day after several Moscow-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine announced a referendum to join the Russian Federation, the Russian President announced that he had signed a decree on military mobilization, which sparked an international reaction.

The announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday, of a partial military mobilization in the ranks of his country's army, aroused the reactions of a number of world leaders.

On Wednesday morning, Putin announced, in a direct speech to the nation broadcast on state television, that he had signed a decree published on the Kremlin's website, regarding the partial mobilization that is scheduled to begin today.

"When the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all available means to protect Russia and its people," he added, stressing that his words were "not nonsense."

Commenting on this, German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said that the Russian partial mobilization is a "new escalation" of the conflict in Ukraine, according to the British Guardian newspaper.

Habeck described the Russian mobilization as a "bad and wrong step", noting that Germany is "currently studying how to respond" to these developments.

For his part, Czech Prime Minister Petr Viala said that the mobilization announced by Putin was "an attempt to stoke the Russian war in Ukraine, and evidence that Russia is the only aggressor."

"Ukraine's assistance is necessary, and we still need to continue to do so in our interests," he added in a tweet.

For its part, Washington's ambassador to Kyiv, Bridget Brink, said that Russia "showed weakness by announcing partial mobilization and the referendum in the Ukrainian regions it controls."

"The referendum and mobilization are a sign of Russia's weakness and failure," Brink added in a tweet, stressing that "the United States will not recognize Russia's annexation of parts of Ukrainian territory."

In turn, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said that "President Putin's failure to fulfill his promise not to mobilize and illegally annex parts of Ukraine is evidence of the failure of his invasion."

"Putin and his defense minister (Sergei Shoigu) are sending thousands of citizens to their deaths," the minister added in a statement, according to the Guardian.

He continued, "Neither propaganda nor threats can hide the fact that Ukraine is winning the war," and added: "The international community is united, and Russia has become a pariah."

In this context, Putin accused the West of involvement in "nuclear blackmail", referring to the statements of senior representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization "NATO" about "the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction against Russia."

In turn, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said, commenting on the decision to mobilize, that the ongoing war in Ukraine "will witness its most sensitive phase."

The Latvian Foreign Minister, Adkars Renkavijs, demanded more support for Ukraine.

He added that Russia has become "a threat to European and world peace, as big as the threat of Nazi Germany during the last century."

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Putin's decision a "sign of panic" and stressed continued support for Ukraine against Russia.

Also, European Council President Charles Michel said, "The Kremlin announced mobilization on the International Day of Peace, while countries are working in the United Nations General Assembly to achieve cooperation, security and prosperity."

"In the Ukrainian war, Russia is the only aggressor, and Ukraine is the aggressor," he tweeted, stressing that the EU's support for Ukraine "will remain unwavering."

The Guardian newspaper quoted statements by the European Union's spokesman for foreign affairs, Peter Stano, in which he said that Putin "is taking a dangerous bet by using nuclear weapons as part of his terrorist arsenal."

"We must stop his reckless behavior," he added, stressing that the referendum to be held in the Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions to join Russia "will not be recognized."

Putin's comments come a day after several Moscow-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine announced that a referendum would be held to join the Russian Federation.