After a weekend of heightened tensions, the Ukraine border crisis entered a new phase on Monday. First, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of two separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine. They call themselves the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, or DPR and LPR. They are not recognized by Ukraine or by other international actors as separate nations. But these areas have had considerable autonomy and been governed by Russian backed separatists since the 2015 Minsk Peace Accord.  

Shortly after Putin’s formal recognition, the Kremlin ordered Russian troops to enter the DPR and LPR on what the Russian Defense ministry is describing as a peacekeeping mission.   

For weeks, thousands of Russian troops have been stationed along the Ukrainian border. And since December, Putin has tried to pressure NATO to decrease its military presence in Eastern Europe, and commit to disallowing Ukraine from ever joining the alliance.

Yaroslav Trofimov, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, joined The Takeaway to discuss the latest developments.