Kremlin says it hopes Donbass recognition will restore calm; still open to diplomacy

A woman walks past a damaged shop in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine February 5, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko/File Photo

MOSCOW, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Tuesday it hoped Russia's recognition of two breakaway Ukrainian regions as independent would help restore calm and that Moscow remained open to diplomacy with the United States and other countries.

In a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he was unable to say if Russian forces had already entered the two separatist regions that are often referred to simply as the Donbass.

He said a decision to send in forces would depend on how the situation developed.

Reporting by Anastasia Teterevleva; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Mark Trevelyan

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