Russia Recognizes The Independence Of Donetsk And Lugansk, Foreign Minister Blinken Cancels Meeting With Foreign Minister Lavrov

Illustration of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (Wikimedia Commons/US Department of State)

JAKARTA - United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday he had canceled a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov planned for Thursday, following Moscow's recognition of the two separatist regions in Ukraine as independent entities.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Blinken said he had agreed to meet with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Lavrov, only if Russia did not invade Ukraine.

"Now that we see the invasion starting and Russia has made clear its rejection of diplomacy, it makes no sense to continue with the meeting at this time," Blinken told reporters after a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington.

Foreign Minister Blinken further said he was still committed to diplomacy "if Moscow's approach changed" and would do whatever he could "to prevent a worse case scenario, an all-out attack across Ukraine, including the capital."

"But we will not allow Russia to lay claim to the pretense of diplomacy, at the same time accelerating its journey on the path of conflict and war," he added.

Western countries imposed new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk on Monday, ordering Russian troops into eastern Ukraine to "maintain the peace". Washington has rejected the justification for deploying troops as "bullshit."

Washington had consulted with allies on the decision to cancel the talks, which were scheduled to take place in Europe, before notifying Foreign Minister Lavrov in a letter on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Blinken said.

Foreign Minister Blinken said President Putin's speech announcing the move was 'deeply disturbing' and showed the world that President Putin views Ukraine as a vassal of Russia.