Kim Jong-Un Recognises 'Independence' Of Ukraine's Donetsk And Luhansk Regions — Zelenskyy Severs Diplomatic Ties

Ukraine's foreign ministry said it had severed diplomatic ties with Kim Jong-Un's isolated nation after North Korea recognized the independence of two Kremlin-backed separatist regions in war-ridden Ukraine.

What Happened: North Korea had recognized the independence of eastern Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the Russian state media TASS reported citing separatist leader Denis Pushilin.

Another TASS article noted that North Korea's ambassador to Russia also presented a document with official recognition.

Reacting to the news, Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson for the Ukraine foreign ministry, in a tweet, said, "Ukraine today breaks diplomatic relations with DPRK in response to its decision to recognize the so-called 'independence' of the temporarily Russian-occupied territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine."

In a statement, Ukraine's foreign ministry dubbed the move "an attempt by Pyongyang to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine."

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-led Ukrainian government slammed the acts of North Korea as "a gross violation of the Constitution of Ukraine, the UN Charter and the fundamental norms and principles of the international law."

The ministry further added that North Korea's recognition won't change Ukraine's internationally recognized borders and carries no legal weight.

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