Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a decision on the appeal to him from the State Duma and the leadership of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk "People's Republics" for their recognition.
Putin said this in his address, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
Putin noted in his address that the situation in the Donbas has become acute, critical.
He said that now not a single day passes without shelling in the Donbas, the civilian population suffers.
According to him, Russia has done everything to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine, but the Ukrainian authorities do not recognize any solution to the Donbas issue, except for a military one.
"In this regard, I consider it necessary to make a long overdue decision: to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the "Donetsk People's Republic" and "Luhansk People's Republic". I ask the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to support this decision, and then ratify the treaty of friendship and mutual assistance with both republics," Putin said.
These two documents will be prepared and signed in the near future.
"And those who seized and hold power in Kyiv, we demand an immediate cessation of hostilities. Otherwise, all responsibility for the possible continuation of bloodshed will be entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling on the territory of Ukraine," he added.
Announcing the decisions taken, Putin expressed confidence in the support of their citizens of Russia, all the patriotic forces of the country.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Security Council of Russia on Monday considered the appeal of the State Duma and the leadership of the DPR and LPR on the recognition of the self-proclaimed "republics".
During their speeches, the members of the Security Council spoke in favor of Russia's recognition of the LPR and DPR.
On February 15, the State Duma of Russia asked Putin to recognize the DPR and LPR.
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that Russia's recognition of the self-proclaimed "Luhansk People's Republic" and "Donetsk People's Republic" would actually mean an invasion of Ukraine through the introduction of peacekeepers.
Ukraine believes that Russia will de facto and de jure withdraw from the Minsk agreements if the DPR and LPR are recognized.
The head of the European Union Delegation to Ukraine, Matti Maasikas, said that if Russia officially recognizes the LPR and DPR, Russia will have additional territorial claims against Ukraine.
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