Today, February 22, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement that the world's capitals were not asleep that night - tough sanctions against the Kremlin regime will be applied immediately. Leaders of democracies of the world have condemned the decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the quasi-republics, the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic” and “Donetsk People’s Republic”, and have spoken in solidarity in support of Ukraine and its territorial integrity. Ukraine hopes that this time the sanctions will be significant and effective.

Already against the background of Putin's statements on the recognition of quasi-republics began to fall markets and the Russian ruble. It is important that the process be irreversible and adequate to the crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine.

Russia's decision to recognize the independence of the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic” and “Donetsk People’s Republic”, which it clearly repeated according to the Georgian scenario, leaves no doubt about the Kremlin's real intentions.

The President of Albania, Ilir Meta, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, Olta Xhacka, reacted immediately with the categorical condemnation of Russia's brutal violation of international law through the recognition of the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic” and “Donetsk People’s Republic”. The President, in particular, stressed that this decision destroyed the Minsk agreements and undermined the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Albania is in solidarity with partner countries and allies in support for Ukraine.

The Albanian representative to the UN Security Council strongly protested against Russia's actions and condemned the violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, called on Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine's borders and occupied territories, stop aggression by recognizing phantom republics and pumping them with weapons for geopolitical purposes.

Albanian Defence Minister Niko Peleshi said that Putin's recognition of Ukraine's eastern regions once again clearly confirmed Russia's scenario of violating international law and Ukraine's sovereignty. And this is not only a violation of peace and stability in Ukraine, but throughout the European continent. "We must promptly support Ukraine as a NATO Alliance and we must be united as never before," the minister said.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his address to his people today,  praised the support of Ukraine by the world community and stressed that our country remains faithful to the diplomatic path to resolving the conflict.   Ukraine unequivocally qualifies Russia's decision as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the destruction of the Minsk agreements and the Normandy negotiating format.

According to Article 51 of the UN Charter, Ukraine reserves the right to individual and collective defence.

"We are on our own land. We are not afraid of anything or anyone. We don't owe anyone anything. And we will not give anything to anyone. And we are sure of that", - said our President.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists on the full-fledged work of the OSCE mission to prevent provocations and further military escalation along the contact line and the urgent convening of the Normandy Format meeting.