Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of the independence of the DPR and LPR on February 21. The next day, the parties ratified the treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance. The Russian Foreign Ministry called on other countries to follow Moscow’s example in recognizing the republics.
The Russian leader justified the decision by Kiev preparing an attack on the Donbass and its refusal to implement the Minsk agreements. He later said that in fact the Minsk agreements no longer exist.
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On February 21, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine is not afraid of anyone, will not give anything to anyone and stressed that the country’s borders will remain as recognized by the international community, “despite the statements of the Russian Federation.”
Putin’s decision was supported by Venezuela, Nicaragua, Syria, the Central African Republic, partially recognized South Ossetia, Abkhazia and the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron strongly condemned the move. China pointed out that in the “Ukraine issue” “the legitimate security interests of any country should be respected and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed. <...> show restraint, recognize the importance of implementing the principle of the indivisibility of security, ease the situation and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiations.”