After delivering an hour-long speech in a ceremony carried on state television, Putin on Monday signed decrees recognising two seperatist regions of eastern Ukraine — Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic.

Putin directed his parliament to recognise the separatist eastern Ukrainian regions and ratify treaties of friendship, following a meeting of the presidential Security Council.

"I consider it necessary to make a long overdue decision- to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic," Putin announced.

"I ask the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to support this decision, and then to ratify the treaties of friendship and mutual assistance with both republics," he added.

Accusing the United States and NATO of attempting to turn Ukraine into a military outpost to threaten Russia, Putin has demanded an immediate end of Ukraine 'military operations' in those rebel-controlled regions.

"We demand an immediate cessation of hostilities from those who seized and hold power in Kyiv. Otherwise, all responsibility for the possible continuation of the bloodshed will be entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling on the territory of Ukraine," Putin said in his lengthy speech.

Responding to Putin's announcement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has discussed the latest developments with US President Joe Biden.

File image of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by President.gov.ua via Wikimedia Commons

Following the Russian President's hour-long address, Zelensky wrote on Twitter that he had discussed the events of the last few hours with US President Joe Biden while a meeting of the country's National Security and Defense Council had begun.

"A conversation with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is also planned," the Ukrainian President tweeted.

Reacting to Russia's announcement on eastern Ukraine, US Press Secretary Jen Psaki, in a statement, said the United State has anticipated such a move from Russia and is ready to respond immediately.

"President Biden will soon issue an Executive Order that will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR (Donetsk People's Republic) and LNR (Luhansk People's Republic) regions of Ukraine," Psaki said.

"This Executive Order will also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine," the US Press Secretary said.

Informing that the US Departments of State and Treasury will have additional details shortly, Jen Psaki added, "We will also soon announce additional measures related to today’s blatant violation of Russia’s international commitments."

"To be clear: these measures are separate from and would be in addition to the swift and severe economic measures we have been preparing in coordination with Allies and partners should Russia further invade Ukraine," the statement from Jen Psaki read.

CNN reported, quoting the White House officials, that US President Joe Biden had convened a secure call with French President Macron and German Chancellor Scholz at 3:17 pm. ET (08:17 pm. GMT).

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday said Russia's recognition of separatist eastern Ukrainian regions is a breach of international law.

Calling Moscow's move an “ill omen and a very dark sign,” Johnson said, during a news conference on Monday, "This is plainly in breach of international law. It's a violation, a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine."

"It is a repudiation of the Minsk process and the Minsk agreements, and I think it's a very ill omen and a very dark sign. This is yet another indication that things are moving in the wrong direction in Ukraine," the British PM added.

The European Union (EU) leaders also condemned Vladimir Putin's decision to recognise independence of the separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.

European Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen, in a tweet, said, "The recognition of the two separatist territories in Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law, the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Minsk agreements."

"The EU and its partners will react with unity, firmness and with determination in solidarity with Ukraine," she added.

Condemning the Russian move, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said, "President Putin’s recognition of the ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ and ‘Luhansk People’s Republics’ as independent states shows flagrant disregard for Russia’s commitments under the Minsk agreements."

"This step represents a further attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, signals an end to the Minsk process and is a violation of the UN Charter. It demonstrates Russia’s decision to choose a path of confrontation over dialogue," Liz Truss wrote on Twitter.

"We will coordinate our response with Allies. We will not allow Russia’s violation of its international commitments to go unpunished," she added.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the Russian recognition of eastern Ukrainian regions, saying that the move by Moscow "erodes efforts to resolve the conflict and violates the Minsk agreements."

"I condemn Russia’s decision to extend recognition to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic. This further undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, erodes efforts towards a resolution of the conflict, and violates the Minsk Agreements, to which Russia is a party," the NATO chief said in a statement.

"NATO supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. Allies urge Russia, in the strongest possible terms, to choose the path of diplomacy, and to immediately reverse its massive military build-up in and around Ukraine, and withdraw its forces from Ukraine in accordance with its international obligations and commitments," he added.

File photo by Vitaly V. Kuzmin via Wikimedia Commons

Currently, Russia and Ukraine are in a state of war, with Moscow has reportedly massed more than 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine and has sent the military personnel to exercises in neighbouring Belarus amid rising fears that Russia could invade Ukraine any moment.

The border tensions come nearly eight years after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula in 2014 and backed a bloody rebellion in the eastern Donbas region.

Moscow has accused the Ukrainian government of failing to implement the Minsk agreement, which sought to end war in the Donbas region of Ukraine, while the Russian government feared that Ukraine’s membership of the EU and NATO would complete a western wall of allied countries by restricting Russia’s access to the Black Sea.