"The people made their choice, a clear choice."
With these words, Russian President Vladimir Putin opens the signing ceremony of the annexation treaties in Moscow of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
The Kremlin thus certifies the veracity of the referendums in the territories of the Ukrainian Donbass invaded and controlled by Moscow troops, a vote that the international community has defined as a "farce".
"Millions of people have expressed their will," Putin said. "I want them to hear me in Kiev, to hear me in the West: the people who live in Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia become our citizens forever and we we will defend our land with all the means at our disposal ".
The choice of annexation is no longer under discussion but " we are ready to return to the negotiating table ": Ukraine must "cease the fire that began in 2014".
The reaction of the UN Security Council is ready , with a resolution condemning the annexation referendums, a measure that will however have the veto of Russia and, therefore, cannot be adopted. "The US will not be intimidated by Putin or his threats or the farce he organized this morning," Joe Biden told the White House, reiterating that the US and its allies "will never recognize the territories as Russia". "We are prepared to defend every inch of NATO," he said again.
Volodymyr Zelensky says goodbye to any peace negotiations between Moscow and Kiev , at least as long as Vladimir Putin remains in power: "Ukraine is and remains a leader in the negotiation efforts. We have always offered Russia an agreement on coexistence on fair, honest terms. and dignified. But it is obvious that this is impossible with this Russian president. He does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but when it will have another president. "
The Kiev leader also raised the challenge and raised the bar, promising the liberation of all Ukraine and after the final "farce" of annexation: "In fact, we are already in NATO. done, we have already demonstrated compatibility with Alliance standards, "standards that" are real for Ukraine, real on the battlefield and in all aspects of our interaction. We trust each other, we help each other and we protect each other. This is the Alliance. "
