Russia's standoff with the West continues to intensify as Vladimir Putin announced he would recognize two self-proclaimed separatist republics in eastern Ukraine. The Russian president also went on to sign aid and cooperation pacts with regional leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk (which include the right to build military bases), at a televised Kremlin ceremony that was condemned by the U.S. and EU. "I consider it necessary to take the long overdue decision to recognize the independence and sovereignty," Putin declared. "Ukraine for us is not just a neighboring country, it is an integral part of our own history, culture and spiritual space."
Response: Some sanctions were announced unveiled by the U.S. and its allies as Putin planned to send in peacekeeping forces (see below), though Moscow has continued to deny plans of an invasion. Ukraine said it will also stick to a peaceful path, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizing that Putin merely "legalized" troops already present in self-proclaimed republics since 2014. "We're dedicated to diplomatic means of solving this issue. We're not reacting to any provocations. This is our choice. We are on our land. We're not afraid of anyone and everyone."
Following the news, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting, but with Russia being one of the five countries that hold veto power, measures like sanctions are non-starters. Russia also holds the rotating presidency this month, so it sets and chairs the agenda for council meetings, likely shielding itself from further trouble. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department on Monday evening relocated its diplomatic staff in Lviv, Ukraine, to Poland, citing safety and security reasons.
Next steps: President Biden "reiterated that the United States would respond swiftly and decisively, in lockstep with its allies and partners, to further Russian aggression against Ukraine." The developments may also torpedo a last-minute summit with Biden, which was arranged by French President Emmanuel Macron over the weekend. The White House said it was prepared to meet with Putin "in principle" - if Moscow refrained from further invading Ukraine - but U.S. officials said they can no longer commit to a gathering that has a "predicate that Russia won't take military action, when it looks as imminently like it will."
