The European Union, the United States and Nato have strongly condemned Russia's recognition of independence for Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The US led the criticism with a strongly worded statement by President George W. Bush, who accused Moscow of escalating tensions with what he called an "irresponsible decision". Russia's announcement on Tuesday by president Dmitri Medveydev was met with celebrations in Georgia's separatist regions.