Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed government officials to normalize relations with neighboring Georgia, two days after Russia's decision to establish ties with the separatist Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia . At a meeting with European Union and NATO officials in Brussels , Georgian Vice-Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze said Russia had "crossed the red line" with their decision. "We request the international community's support in order not to let Russia legalize the de facto annexation of these territories," he said. The European Union has urged Russia not to establish ties with the separatist regions and asked both countries to "refrain from any actions that could lead towards the escalation of the situation in the region". United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also criticized Russia's decision. She called her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to express her concern. "We are very concerned at the steps that have been taken and we have made our views known," Rice told reporters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed government officials to normalize relations with neighboring Georgia, two days after Russia's decision to establish ties with the separatist Georgian regions of and . At a meeting with European Union and NATO officials in , Georgian Vice-Prime Minister said Russia had "crossed the red line" with their decision. "We request the international community's support in order not to let Russia legalize the de facto annexation of these territories," he said. The European Union has urged Russia not to establish ties with the separatist regions and asked both countries to "refrain from any actions that could lead towards the escalation of the situation in the region". United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also criticized Russia's decision. She called her Russian counterpart to express her concern. "We are very concerned at the steps that have been taken and we have made our views known," Rice told reporters.
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South Ossetia and Abkhazia
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Brussels
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Giorgi Baramidze
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Sergei Lavrov