• Vladimir Putin on Monday evening recognized the independence of the pro-Russian separatist territories in eastern Ukraine, bringing the crisis with Ukraine into a new dimension. On Tuesday, the Russian Parliament endorsed the decision of the head of the Kremlin and Russian troops entered the Donbass to assume “peacekeeping functions», as Putin wished.
• The West announced measures against Russia on Tuesday: the United States will impose a “first installmentof sanctions which must cut the country off from Western funding, when the Europeans intend to sanction the Russian deputies. Germany has also suspended authorization for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which links Russia to Western Europe.
• During a speech on Tuesday evening, US President Joe Biden authorized the redeployment of US troops to the Baltic countries, without however having the intention “to attack Russia militarily“. The head of state also indicated that the United States would continue to supply weapons “defensiveto Ukraine.