In an early Tuesday address to the public, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine's internationally recognised borders will remain unchanged, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognise the independence of the People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.
Zelensky argued that Russia's move translates to its withdrawal from the Minsk agreements and legalises Russian troops in the area, which, according to him, have been in Donbass since 2014.
Since the announcement, Ukraine has called for an emergency Normandy Format talk, according to Zelensky, who claimed that previous peaceful efforts and existing negotiations have been nullified.
While the Ukrainian president called for peace, he also noted that his country is prepared for anything that comes.
The Ukrainian government is reportedly awaiting responses from allies before proceeding with further steps.
Zelensky's address comes hours before an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting on the Russia-Ukraine situation. The meeting was called by French President Emmanuel Macron.
In recent months, Moscow has consistently denied US allegations that Russia is staging an invasion of Ukraine under the guise of a false-flag attack that could act as a pretext for the move. Since his announcement, the Russian president has ordered a peacekeeping mission into the DPR and LPR.