"The Secretary of State reiterated President Biden's message that the United States will always respect Ukraine's internationally recognized borders," the US State Department said in a statement to TASS.

Blinken added that Washington will also continue to make efforts to support Kyiv in regaining control over the lost territories by "strengthening its position militarily and diplomatically."

Earlier, Vladimir Putin and the heads of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions signed agreements on the accession of these regions to Russia.

The signing of the documents took place in the Georgievsky Hall of the Kremlin.

Putin urged Kyiv to cease fire immediately.