Putin illegally annexes territories in Ukraine, in spite of global opposition

Updated September 30, 2022, 3:50 PM ET

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved to formally annex four Ukrainian territories, signing what he calls "accession treaties" that world powers refuse to recognize. This is Putin's latest attempt at redrawing the map of Europe at Ukraine’s expense.

Putin said that the people had made their decision during a signing ceremony at St. George Hall of the Kremlin. He said, "And that choice will not be betrayed by Russia."

The Russian leader called on Ukraine to end hostilities and hold negotiations with Moscow — but insisted that the status of the annexed territories was not up for discussion.

Putin stated, "I want the Kyiv authorities and their real overlords from the West to hear my: The residents in Donetsk and Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia are becoming our citizens," "Forever."

As Putin was joined by Moscow-backed separatist leaders, and Kremlin-appointed officials representing the four regions, senior Russian lawmakers and dignitaries watched.

Preparations were underway for a rally outside the Kremlin with banners stating that Russia and the newly integrated territories will "be together forever."

This is the culmination of a week in which the Kremlin orchestrated referendums in Russian-occupied territory that purportedly resulted in overwhelming majority in favor joining Russia.

Ukraine and its Western allies condemned those votes as "shams", in violation of international law.

United Nations chief António Guterres, President Biden and other world leaders have condemned these actions.

"The United States condemns Russia’s fraudulent attempt to annexe sovereign Ukrainian territory today. Russia is violating international laws, trampling upon the United Nations Charter and showing its contempt towards peaceful nations everywhere," President Biden stated Friday morning as his administration announced new sanctions against Russia for its annexation.

The sanctions are directed at government officials and leaders as well as their families and officials of the Russian or Belarusian military. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Thursday 14 international suppliers who support Russia's military supply chain.

"We will hold to Account any individual, entity, or country that provides economic support for Russia’s illegal attempts at changing the status of Ukraine's territory," Secretary Antony Blinken stated in a statement.

The president assured reporters that he and his allies would not be intimidated by Putin's reckless threats and words Friday afternoon.

Biden stated that he cannot seize the territory of his neighbours and get away with it. He also noted that the United States would "stay in the course" and send more military equipment to Ukraine.

Biden warned the Russian president that America is fully equipped with NATO allies to defend every inch of NATO territory.

Ukraine applied for NATO membership "accelerated".

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that he would apply for NATO membership "accelerated" for his country.

He stated, "De facto we have already completed the path to NATO." "De facto, we have already proven interoperability with the alliance's standards, they are real for Ukraine — real on the battlefield and in all aspects of our interaction. We trust one another, we support each other, and we protect each others. This is the essence of an alliance.

Ukraine has adopted NATO-style conventions in its military and has become more dependent on NATO-standard weapons from member countries. Zelenskyy, his chief of staff Andriy Ermak, and Ruslan Stefanchuk, the parliament chair, stood in front his office as he gave his address. They signed a declaration requesting Ukraine's membership in NATO.

Zelenskyy stated that the enemy will be expelled from the entire territory of Ukraine. "Not only is Ukraine an enemy, but also an enemy to life itself, humanity and law, as well as truth."

He called for peace negotiations between Russia and the United States, but only after Putin is no more president.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the alliance's "commitment support Ukraine" in Brussels. He called Putin's recent actions the "most serious escalation of hostilities since the beginning of the war."

Stoltenberg stated that NATO's door is open to Ukraine's possible membership. However, he said that all 30 of his allies must make a decision about Ukraine's membership. These decisions are made by consensus. Our immediate focus is to provide immediate support for Ukraine in order to help Ukraine defend against the Russian brutal invasion."

Jake Sullivan, President Biden's national defense adviser, stated that the U.S. believes NATO should have an open door policy. He also said that it was up to NATO's 30 allies to make decisions. He said, however, that "right now, we believe that the best way to support Ukraine is through practical and on-the ground support in Ukraine and that the process should be taken up in Brussels at a different moment."

Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution decrying its annexation Ukrainian territory. The vote was 10-1, and four countries abstained — China, India, Brazil and Gabon.

Friday's ceremony reminded me of Putin's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula

Putin framed the annexation decision as a historical justice following the breakup of the Soviet Union that had left Russian speakers separated from their homeland — and the West dictating world affairs according to its own rules.

"The West decides who is entitled to self-determination... Who gave them that right?" Putin said it.

Russian leader claimed that the U.S. was the aggressor of the world, leaving behind a history full of destruction and oppression.

Friday's ceremony echoed Putin's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, following a Kremlin-backed referendum there in 2014 — a move that most countries still do not recognize to this day.

Once again, Western powers accused Russia this month of using the guise of staged votes to justify its annexation of Ukraine's territory — often at the barrel of a gun.

Indeed, just hours before Friday's ceremony, Putin formally recognized the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as "independent" from Ukraine — despite Russian forces controlling only a portion of the territory.

A missile from Zaporizhzhia hit a bus stop and checkpoint in Zaporizhia, injuring scores and killing 23 people. Russia was blamed for the attack by Ukraine. Moscow's proxies in this area claimed that Ukrainian forces had launched several strikes within the region.

The other two regions — Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine's eastern Donbas — were recognized as independent by Moscow back in February. Putin signed a security agreement with them at that time, which he used to justify sending Russian troops into Ukraine a few days later.

Formal ratification of the territories into the Russian Federation will now move to Russia's parliament and constitutional court — whose approval is widely seen as a foregone conclusion.

As the Russian government tries to annex territory in Ukraine, it is now trying to deploy 300,000.

Western officials have pointed out that the timing is evidence of Kremlin desperateness to consolidate Russian gains before their lines fall further. Zelenskyy also accused Moscow of trying to mobilize Ukrainians in annexed regions for the military campaign.

Russian officials openly warned that newly incorporated territories would be eligible for protections under Russia’s nuclear umbrella.

Julian Hayda contributed from Kyiv to this report.

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