Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said that the Minsk peace agreements — which sought to end the war in eastern Ukraine — no longer "exist," Russian state media reported.
"The Minsk agreements do not exist now," he said, according to a translation from AFP, one day after he formally recognized the independence of two Moscow-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and ordered troops there.
The Russian president on Monday signed a decree recognizing the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states.
"We signed agreements yesterday, and in these agreements with both the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic there are relevant clauses that say that we will provide these republics with appropriate, including military assistance," Putin said on Tuesday, according to Russian state media.
He added, "Since there is a conflict there by this decision, we make it clear that we, if necessary, intend to fulfill our obligations."
Meanwhile, in the US earlier Tuesday, the White House said that Russia's military actions constitute the beginning of an invasion into Ukraine.
"We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia's latest invasion into Ukraine," Biden administration deputy national security advisor Jon Finer told CNN.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.