Ukraine requests urgent UN Security Council talks on de-escalating crisis

KYIV - Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Monday he had asked member states of the U.N. Security Council to hold urgent discussions on practical steps to guarantee his country's security and on de-escalating the tensions with Russia.

Russia is a permanent veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said earlier on Monday that he would make a decision on recognising two breakaway regions in East Ukraine later on Monday.