Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved to formally annex four Ukrainian areas, signing what he refers to as "accession treaties" that the international community refuses to recognize. It's Putin's latest attempt to reshape Europe's geography at the price of Ukraine.
"The people chose," Putin remarked at a signing ceremony at the Kremlin's St. George hall. "And that choice will not be betrayed," he continued.
The Russian president urged Ukraine to halt hostilities and hold talks with Moscow, but reiterated that the status of annexed territory would not be discussed.
"I want the authorities in Kyiv and their real overlords in the West to hear me: The residents of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson are becoming our citizens," Putin said. "Forever."
Putin was joined by Moscow-backed separatist leaders and Kremlin-appointed officials from the four regions, as senior Russian lawmakers and dignitaries looked on.
Outside the Kremlin, preparations were under way for a rally with banners saying that Russia and the newly integrated territories are "together forever."
The move caps a week that saw the Kremlin choreograph referendums in Russian-occupied territories that purportedly delivered overwhelming majorities in favor of joining Russia.
Ukraine and its Western allies denounced 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 today to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory. Russia is violating international law, trampling on the United Nations Charter, and showing its contempt for peaceful nations everywhere," President Biden said in a statement Friday morning, as his administration announced fresh sanctions on Russia for its annexation of the Ukrainian regions.
The sanctions target government officials and leaders, as well as their family members, as well as military officials from Russia and Belarus. The US Treasury Department sanctioned 14 overseas firms for aiding Russia's military supply lines as part of the move on Friday.
"We will hold to account any individual, entity or country that provides political or economic support for Russia's illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
On Friday afternoon, the president told reporters, "America and its allies are not going to be intimidated by Putin and his reckless words and threats."
"He can't seize his neighbors' territory and get away with it," Biden said, noting that the United States would "stay the course" and send more military equipment and resources to Ukraine.
Biden warned the Russian president that "America is fully prepared with our NATO allies to defend every single inch of NATO territory."
