Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed two decrees on Monday recognizing the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) and the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) as independent and Sovereign States.

According to Kremlin statement, as per the news agency report a ceremony held in the Kremlin on Monday, Putin signed the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between Russia and the LPR and the DPR respectively with the heads of the two republics.

Putin in a televised address to the nation said that, I consider it necessary to make a long overdue decision, to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the DPR and the LPR. Russia has done everything to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine by fighting for the implementation of 2015 Minsk agreements, but all the efforts ended up in vain, he told the public.

After recognizing the independence of the LPR and DPR, Russian President Putin instructed the Russian armed forces to ensure peace in the two countries. Russian Security Council held an extraordinary meeting, when the country’s top officials supported the recognition of the two republics.

Putin had phone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday evening, who expressed their disappointment with Putin’s plan to recognize the LPR and the DPR.