World leaders on Thursday swiftly condemned Russia’s military attack on Ukraine, with Western capitals vowing to escalate sanctions against Moscow while the head of the United Nations demanded the conflict end immediately.
“The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces,” US President Joe Biden said shortly after the operation began.
“Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring… The world will hold Russia accountable,” he declared.
UN chief Antonio Guterres made a direct and personal plea to Russian President Vladimir Putin after an emergency Security Council session, urging him to stop the attack “in the name of humanity.”
“In the name of humanity, do not allow in Europe what could be the worst war since the beginning of the century,” he said.
“The conflict must stop now,” added the UN chief, who said it was the “saddest day” of his tenure.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia had “chosen the path of aggression against a sovereign and independent country.”
The attack “puts at risk countless civilian lives,” Stoltenberg said in a statement, describing it as a “grave breach of international law, and a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security.”
NATO ambassadors were to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the attack.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President (Volodymyr) Zelensky to discuss next steps…President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine. The UK and our allies will respond decisively.”
European Union chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel posted their reaction on Twitter.
“In these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent women, men, and children as they face this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives. We will hold the Kremlin accountable.”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Russia faced “unprecedented isolation” and would be hit with the “harshest sanctions” the EU has ever imposed.
“This is not a question of blocs. This is not a question of diplomatic power games. It’s a matter of life and death. It is about the future of our global community,” he said.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lashed out at an “unscrupulous act” by Putin and spoke to Zelensky to express his country’s “full solidarity.”
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned the world “will not forget this day of shame.”
“This attack will have severe political and economic consequences for Russia,” Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck said.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Russia to immediately put an end to its military operations, saying the country had decided to “wage war” on Ukraine.
“France stands in solidarity with Ukraine. It stands by Ukrainians and is working with its partners and allies to end the war,” he added.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Russian attack was a clear violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and of Russia’s obligations under international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
He said he would meet with partners from the Group of Seven to shape a collective response, including additional sanctions to those announced earlier in the week.
“These reckless and dangerous acts will not go unpunished,” he said.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), of which Russia is a member, said “this attack on Ukraine puts the lives of millions of people at grave risk and is a gross breach of international law and Russia’s commitments.”
The statement was issued by the OSCE’s current chairman, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, and the organization’s secretary general, Helga Maria Schmid.
During the charged UN emergency meeting, the Ukraine’s ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya implored the council, chaired by Russia to “do everything possible to stop the war.”
He demanded that Russia’s ambassador relinquish his duties as chair.
“There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell, ambassador,” the visibly emotional Kyslytsya said.
China, the world’s second-biggest economy, said it was monitoring the crisis and urged restraint.
“China is closely watching the latest situation, and we call on all parties to maintain restraint and prevent the situation from getting out of control,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, “The latest Russian invasion shakes the foundation of the international order, which does
not permit unilateral attempts to change the status quo.”
The European Commission’s von der Leye said the new sanctions would weaken Russia’s economic base and its capacity to modernize.
She said the “massive” sanctions “will target strategic sectors of the Russian economy by blocking their access to key technologies and markets” and “freeze Russian assets in the EU and stop the access of Russian banks to the European financial market.”
The fresh package of sanctions will be coordinated with the EU’s partners and allies, she said.
“These sanctions are designed to take a heavy toll on the Kremlin’s interests and on their ability to finance the war,” she said.
She stated that Russian forces have “invaded Ukraine,” breaching a threshold the West had warned would trigger severe sanctions.
Russia was not targeting only Ukraine, she said.
“The target is the stability in Europe and the whole of the international peace order. And we will hold President Putin accountable for that.”
The EU’s Borrel said the Russian invasion brought about the darkest hour for Europe since the end of World War II.
He said the attack by Russia—”a major nuclear power”—on its pro-West neighbor “is not only the greatest violation of international law, it’s a violation of the basic principles of human coexistence.”
He said Thursday’s summit “will agree and provide political guidance to adopt the strongest package—the harshest package—of sanctions” the EU has ever implemented.
He added that the EU was setting up urgent assistance for Ukraine and supporting evacuation operations from the country, “including our own staff in zones affected by this Russian attack.”
Both Borrell and von der Leyen emphasized that the European Union stood with the people of Ukraine.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday slammed Russia’s attack on Ukraine as “unjustified and unjustifiable,” saying Europe and NATO were working on an immediate response.
“The Italian government condemns Russia’s attack on Ukraine. It is unjustified and unjustifiable. Italy is close to the Ukrainian people and institutions in this dramatic moment,” Draghi said in a statement.
“We are working with European and NATO allies to respond immediately, with unity and determination,” he said.
The foreign ministry said it had summoned the Russian ambassador over the “clear and distinct violation of international law.”
Speaking to reporters after the emergency session of the Security Council, Guterres said a full-scale war would come at enormous human
cost and have a devastating economic impact that would be felt around the world.
“What is clear for me is that this war doesn’t make any sense… And it will cause, if it doesn’t stop, a level of suffering Europe has not known since, at least, the Balkan crisis,” he added.
Warnings of a possible Russian invasion had mounted over weeks, as Moscow massed troops on Ukraine’s borders and earlier this week recognized the independence of two breakaway eastern Ukraine regions.
Putin has defied a barrage of international criticism over the crisis, with some Western leaders saying he was no longer rational.
His announcement of military action came after the Kremlin said rebel leaders in eastern Ukraine had asked Moscow for military help against Kyiv, and ahead of a last-ditch summit involving European Union leaders in Brussels planned for Thursday.