Biden news - live: President speaks with Zelensky amid warnings Putin’s forces could storm Kyiv within hours
Follow the latest updates on President Joe Biden’s address to the nation about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
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President Joe Biden has called Russian president Vladimir Putin an “aggressor” who “chose this war” as he announced a series of “major” sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine.
Mr Biden said the sanctions will have a “long-term” impact on Moscow as the US was restricting large Russian banks and targeting families who are close to the Kremlin.
Mr Biden’s address to the nation came after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning with a series of missile attacks on cities including the capital Kiev.
Since then, dozens of Ukrainians have been killed, civilians are fleeing their homes, global markets have plunged and Russian forces have seized the site of the Chernobyl nuclear plant.
The United Nations meanwhile is expected to vote on a US-drafted resolution condemning Russia on Friday.
Though the resolution is likely to fail with Russia exercising its veto, US and its allies want to send the message that Russia stands isolated for its actions.
In addition, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley has also also had a phone conversation with allies in Europe today to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Nato allies prepare next steps in Ukraine response
Leaders of the 30 Nato allied nations will meet on Friday as they come under pressure to go even further than sanctions already announced to weaken the Kremlin and Russian president Vladimir Putin’s regime.
It comes after Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, in what Ukraine’s foreign minister said was a “horrific” act.
He also remarked: “Last time our capital experienced anything like this was in 1941 when it was attacked by Nazi Germany”.
By the end of the day, the Ukrainian government said 137 civilians and military personnel had been killed. While reports on Friday morning suggested Russian forces were circling Kyiv, the capital.
Whether Nato sanctions will stop Russia from invading further intro Ukraine, or from taking Kyiv, remains to be seen.
The Independent’s Geraldine Scott has the latest:
Nato allies to prepare next steps after ‘horrific’ rocket strikes in Kyiv
The Ukrainian foreign minister said the capital was hit in the early hours of Friday morning.
Putin did not watch Biden speech, says Kremlin
Russian president Vladimir Putin was briefed on Joe Biden’s speech on Thursday but did not watch it, the Kremlin has said.
Russia also appeared to admit on Friday that sanctions announced by the international community would cause problems for Moscow, but that those problems would be resolved, reported Reuters.
A Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, declined to comment on the possiblity of measures against Mr Putin for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with US president Biden and the European Union promising further sanctions.
Mr Peslov noted that Russia had already reduced its dependence on foreign imports to protect itself against the threat of sanctions, amid other actions following restrictions imposed on Moscow in 2014 after the invasion of Crimea in the south of Ukraine.
US sanctions will hit Russian military, space agency
US President Joe Biden announced another round of sanctions against Russia on Thursday for invading Ukraine.
Mr Biden said the sanctions, which are the second round of measures to be announced by the White House in response to Moscow’s aggression this week, would hinder the work of Russia’s space agency.
“Putin is the aggressor,” said Mr Biden in a speech to the nation. “Putin chose this war, and now he and this country will bear the consequences.”
Sanctions imposed by the US also include bans on exports, which he said would “strike a blow to their ability to continue to modernise their military.”
The Independent’s Vishwam Sankaran has more:
US sanctions will degrade Russia’s space programme, Biden says
Russia’s space programme director says country would ‘expand production of necessary devices at home’
Zelensky says Ukraine ‘has been left to fight alone’
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said shortly after midnight that his country has been “left alone” to defend itself against Russian aggression, as Moscow launched a full scale military operation that left over 137 Ukrainians dead on the first day.
“They are killing people and turning peaceful cities into military targets. It’s foul and will never be forgiven,” said Mr Zelensky from the Ukranian capital Kyiv.
The Ukrainian president continued by critiquing western allies and admitted: “Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone. Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of Nato membership? Everyone is afraid.”
US President Joe Biden, who condemned Russia’s Vladmimir Putin for a “premeditated war” on Ukraine during a national address on Thursday, played down blocking Moscow from the international SWIFT system for commerce payments, and said: “right now that’s not the position that the rest of Europe wishes to take.”
“The sanctions we’ve imposed exceed SWIFT,” Mr Biden said of a further round of economic sanctions. “Let’s have a conversation in another month or so to see if they’re working.”
Kyiv on Friday morning began to see explosions as Russian troops and tanks circled the city from the north.
The Independent’s Namita Singh has more:
Ukraine president says his country ‘has been left to fight alone’ as hundreds killed
‘Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone,’ says embattled leader
US expels Russia’s second-ranking diplomat
The Biden administration has expelled Russia’s second-ranking diplomat in Washington in retaliation for the Russian expulsion of the No. 2 US diplomat in Moscow earlier this month, a senior State Department official said on Thursday.
The official said that the State Department had informed the Russian Embassy on Wednesday that it is expelling Minister Counselor Sergey Trepelkov, who ranks just below Ambassador Anatoly Antonov at the Russian mission, reported Associated Press.
While the expulsion is reportedly not related to Russia’s invasion of Thursday, it comes amid tensions between Moscow and Washington.
The state department official said that the step was taken “as a direct response to the unprovoked Russian expulsion of our deputy chief of mission.”
Russia expelled US Deputy Chief of Mission Bart Gorman from Moscow in mid-February.
Former US president Jimmy Carter condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Former American president Jimmy Carter has condemned Russia’s Ukraine invasion and urged US and its allies to stand in support of the people of Ukraine.
Mr Carter tweeted: “Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine using military and cyber weapons violates international law and the fundamental human rights of the Ukrainian people.”
“I condemn this unjust assault on the sovereignty of Ukraine that threatens security in Europe and the entire world, and I call on President Putin to halt all military action and restore peace.”
He added that the US and its allies “must stand with the people of Ukraine in support of their right to peace, security, and self-determination.”
Earlier, former presidents Barrack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton also issued statements condemning Russia’s actions.
China can't cover impact of US sanctions on Russia
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Thursday that China will not be able to cover the impact of sanctions announced on Russia by US president Joe Biden.
Ms Psaki’s comments came in response to questions raised by reporters after Mr Biden’s address to the nation.
She was asked about whether the Biden administration has an assessment of how China is reacting to US sanctions and whether they are willing to provide support to Russia.
Ms Psaki replied: “Well, in terms of what impact they can have, I mean, China only accounts for about 15 percent of — China and Russia — I’m not sure; you can double check me on this — about 15 percent of the global economy. If you look at G7 partners, in the U.S. and Europe, it’s about 50 percent. Right?”
“So they cannot cover what the impact of the sanctions that have been announced in coordination with Europe would — how they would impact Russia.”
“You know, I think from our perspective, as it relates to China, while I can’t get into the heads of what their thinking is, you know, this is a really — a moment for China, for any country to think about what side of history they want to stand on here.”
“And, you know, that is certainly the — the case that we would make publicly and privately.”
President Biden is also open to speaking with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, she said, but did not specify a timeline.
Top Pentagon official says Russian troops only 20 miles from Kiev
Top Pentagon official and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley said in an unclassified call with House lawmakers on Thursday that Russian troops are only 20 miles from Ukraine’s capital Kiev.
A source who was on the call told MSNBC that defence secretary Lloyd Austin who was also on the call, described the current phase of the Russian military operation as the tip of the spear.
Mr Lloyd reportedly added that he expects the next phase to involve more Russian forces and focus on consolidating gains in populations centres, said a senior defence official who was on the call.
Mr Lloyd also warned that civilians could be killed and injured, especially by missile and air strikes, the senior defence official was quoted as saying.
UN Security Council to vote on US-drafted resolution condemning Russia
The UN Security Council is expected to vote on Friday on a US-drafted resolution condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
The measure is likely to fail as Russia can cast a veto as a permanent member of the council.
The US and its allies see it however as an opportunity to show that Russia is isolated over its actions in Ukraine.
US diplomats said that at least 11 members of the 15 members of the council would vote in favour, while it was unclear how China, India and the United Arab Emirates would vote, reported Reuters.
In a statement the state department said that secretary of state Antony Blinken had spoken to his counterparts in India and the UAE about Ukraine.
President Joe Biden however has declined to comment on China over US lobbying efforts over Ukraine, while on India he said talks continued but weren’t “resolved.”
Top American general dials European allies to discuss Russian invasion
US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley had a phone conversation with allies in Europe today to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to a readout of the calls, Mr Milley spoke with officials from the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada, reported CNN.
He also held “combined meeting with the Bucharest 9 allies,” including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.”
“The leaders shared assessments of the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces into Ukraine,” the statement said.
“The Chairman addressed US reinforcement of NATO Allies through repositioning of forces in Europe to assure Allies and partners and deter Russia from conducting further provocations.”
The statement added that Mr Milley will “continue to conduct outreach” to partners and allies in the coming days”.
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