Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed for months that he wanted to "liberate" parts of eastern Ukraine. He has orchestrated the outcomes of referendums in four regions. Now, he is poised to bring those territories into his orbit.

Work crews have erected a stage in Moscow's Red Square to celebrate the results of the votes. The billboards suggest the regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia are now a part of Russia. Putin is expected to announce the annexation within days.

Pro-Russia separatists organized the referendums and coerced many residents to vote in favor of joining. On Tuesday, they claimed overwhelming majorities and asked Putin to welcome their territories into his federation.

However, Russia is already facing a backlash. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union should impose "biting sanctions."

Von der Leyen said, "We do not accept the sham referenda and any kind of annexation in Ukraine. And we are determined to make the Kremlin pay for this further escalation."

EU officials will ban the import of more Russian products, which could result in the loss of about 7 billion dollars. They will ban exports to Russia of technology that could be used for military purposes and freeze the assets of 1,300 Russians, who also will not be allowed to enter the EU.

Officials in the US responded on Wednesday with a new round of military aid worth 1.1 billion dollars. The package will include radar, anti-drone weapons, and rocket systems that have already helped change Ukraine's fortunes on the battlefield.