Following the May 11 independence referendums in eastern Ukraine, the self-proclaimed leaders of Donetsk and Luhansk — two distinct hubs of separatist activity — reportedly began negotiating a possible merger of their respective regions. The announcements came just as the government in Kiev invited a variety of the country's political groups for a round-table discussion slated for May 14, a dialogue that will likely exclude eastern separatists.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian security forces continued their counterterrorism campaign in the east. On May 13, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov spoke of the campaign's success, saying that parts of Donetsk and Luhansk were now stable.
The president's optimism may be well founded. Though separatists control some government buildings throughout Donetsk and Luhansk, they certainly do not control their respective regions entirely, a situation resulting in part from a lack of widespread support. Unifying Donetsk and Luhansk could improve cooperation and help separatist leaders confront Kiev. Ultimately, the Kremlin, not the separatists themselves, will determine how successful an independent entity in eastern Ukraine will be.
