PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin has told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron that he intends to recognise Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states.
A statement from the Kremlin said Putin will sign a decree to make the Moscow-backed areas in Ukraine independent "people's republics".
The areas in Ukraine are controlled by Russian-backed separatists.
The move is likely to escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine and increase the prospect of an invasion from Russia.
🇷🇺 Russian state TV:
— James Waterhouse (@JamWaterhouse) February 21, 2022
“President Putin has told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron that he intends to sign a decree recognising Moscow-backed Donetsk and Luhansk "people's republics" as independent states.”
France has called an emergency national security meeting to address the recent developments.
Russian state-owned news agency RIA said the decision has left Western leaders dismayed.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “These are not the actions of a Russian government fulfilling its repeated declarations that it has no intention of invading Ukraine.
"We have seen over the last few weeks the Russian playbook being implemented in a way that gives us strong cause for concern that President Putin is still committed to an invasion.
“I believe he is in danger of setting himself on a tragic course of events leading to a humanitarian crisis, instability and widespread suffering, not just of Ukrainians but also of the Russian people.”
Earlier, Downing Street said intelligence reports suggested the Russian plan “has in effect already begun” and that it was “starting to play out in real time”.
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