UNITED NATIONS, February 22. /TASS/. The global community should focus now on avoiding a war in Donbass and making Ukraine stop bombardments and provocations there, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said on Monday.

"Nowadays, it is important to focus on how to avoid a war and make Ukraine stop shelling and provocations against Donetsk and Lugansk," the Russian envoy said at a session of the UN Security Council dedicated to the situation in Ukraine.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the sovereignty of the DPR and LPR. Agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders.