Reactions grew worldwide after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the rule of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Putin addressed the people after the security council meeting. In his speech, Putin stated that the Kiev administration “does not recognize any decision in the Donbas, except the military one. I consider it necessary to take a long-overdue decision to recognize the independence of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic as soon as possible,”

Immediately after his speech, Putin signed at the Kremlin Palace the decree recognizing the independence of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, then the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that he is very concerned about the Russian Federation’s decision on the status of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions and that it is inconsistent with the principles of the UN.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to officially recognize the so-called administrations of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.