Russian president Vladimir Putin will recognize the independence of the eastern Ukrainian enclaves of Donetsk and Lugansk, which have have been under the de-facto control of pro-Russian separatists for years.
“The president of Russia said that he intended to sign the relevant decree in the near future,” the Kremlin announced on Monday. “The president of France and the Federal Chancellor of Germany expressed their disappointment with this development. At the same time, they indicated their readiness to continue contacts.”
Russia has amassed upwards of 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders and stationed fighter jets and missile batteries in neighboring Belarus, stoking fears of a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is unclear what Putin’s next move will be after recognizing the breakaway regions of Ukraine as independent states.
“Russia has exerted efforts and still continues to make efforts to resolve all the complicated aspects and tragic developments by peaceful means, but we have what we have,” Putin said at a meeting of the Russian National Security Council earlier on Monday.
Putin added later on that “as I have said many times before, if Russia faces the threat of Ukraine being accepted into the North Atlantic Alliance, NATO, the threat against our country will increase.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed last Wednesday to initiate a “swift and firm response” if Russia recognized the independence of Donetsk and Lugansk.
“Enactment of this resolution would further undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, constitute a gross violation of international law, call into further question Russia’s stated commitment to continue to engage in diplomacy to achieve a peaceful resolution of this crisis,” Blinken said in a statement.
