“Negotiations were again focused on the situation in and around Ukraine and the deployment of Russian troops on the Russian-Ukrainian and Belarusian-Ukrainian borders.

Chancellor Scholz condemned Russia's plans to recognize the so-called Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics as independent states," the press service of the German Cabinet of Ministers told RIA Novosti.

Putin also informed Scholz about the results of the extraordinary meeting of the Russian Security Council.

During the meeting, members of the Russian Security Council called for the recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics.

Putin said that a decision on Russia's recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed LNR and DNR would be made on February 21.

Earlier, the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize the independence of the republic.