Vladimir Putin’s declaration that Russia will recognise the independence of the breakaway regions of eastern Europe and his order for Russian troops to cross into those regions was greeted with dismay and new sanctions from the US and Europe.
There was also alarm at Putin’s warnings of further action against Ukraine as a whole, questioning the country’s legitimacy and suggesting it presented a direct threat to Russia. Many diplomats saw the wide-ranging nature of the speech as a threat of an all-out invasion.
