Kyiv Cries Foul After Minsk Hosts Moscow-Backed Leader of Donetsk Region

Head of the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin speaks during a press conference in Donetsk, Ukraine Feb. 23, 2022. Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met with the head of the Moscow-backed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) on April 18, drawing spirited protests from Ukrainian officials.

Kyiv and its Western allies reject the legitimacy of the DPR and view the Donetsk region as Russian-occupied territory.