Democratic presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, said in a statement on April 21 that Russia’s decision to establish legal links with Georgia’s breakaway regions was “deeply troubling and contrary to Russia's obligations as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.”

“Putin's declaration falls short of recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries, but these pledges of closer ties to these two regions threatens the Georgian government and emboldens the secessionist forces in Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” he said.

Earlier another Democratic presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton, said Moscow’s action “undermine the territorial integrity of the state of Georgia and are clearly designed to destabilize the government of President Mikheil Saakashvili.”

Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, said: “Such a move is in violation of international law and deserves strong condemnation by all countries committed to the rule of law… Unfortunately, Russia's leaders have chosen a course of confrontation rather than cooperation… We must not allow Russia to believe it has a free hand to engage in policies that undermine Georgian sovereignty.”