Russia 'Recognizes' Donetsk, Luhansk as 'Independent States,' Sends 'Peacekeeping' Forces

In a dramatic turn of events today, Russia recognized Donetsk and Luhansk as "sovereign and independent states" and decided to send Russian peacekeeping forces there.
Ukraine responded stating, "By its decisions to recognize the "independence" of the occupied districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Russia is violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and legalizing its troops in Donbas, which have been there since 2014," a statement posted on the Ukrainian MoD's website said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an address following a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, "Ukraine unequivocally qualifies the recent actions of the Russian Federation as a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state. All responsibility for the consequences of these decisions rests with Russia's political leadership."
A Russian presidential decree said "Given the will of the people of the Donetsk People's Republic, Ukraine's refusal to peacefully resolve the conflict in accordance with the Minsk agreements, recognize the Donetsk People's Republic as a sovereign and independent state." the decree said. An identical decree was issued in the case of Luhansk.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation is to hold talks with the Donetsk Party (and Luhansk Party) on the establishment of diplomatic relations and formalize the agreement reached with the relevant documents," the decree said.
"Instruct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to hold negotiations with the Donetsk Party (and Luhansk Party) with the participation of interested federal executive authorities on the preparation of a draft treaty on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance and submit a proposal for its signing in the prescribed manner." the message says.
"In connection with the appeal of the head of the Donetsk People's Republic (and the head of the the head of the Luhansk People's Republic) to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, until the conclusion of the agreement referred to in paragraph 3 of this Decree, the implementation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic (and Luhansk People's Repubic) for peacekeeping functions," the document says.
The last para is being interpreted in Ukraine to mean giving legitimacy to the presence of Russian troops in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Russia is legalizing its troops, which have actually been in the occupied areas of Donbas since 2014. A country that has supported the war for eight years cannot support peace, as it claims," the President of Ukraine said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had discussed the situation with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joseph Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Council President Charles Michel. A phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is also planned.

He noted that today the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine had sent a request to the member states of the UN Security Council on the basis of the Budapest Memorandum with a request to hold immediate consultations. A meeting of the UN Security Council and a special meeting of the OSCE were also initiated.

"We insist on the full work of the OSCE SMM to prevent provocations and further escalation," the President said.

In addition, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, an emergency convocation of the Normandy Four summit has been initiated.