ArmInfo. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian commented on the situation around Ukraine.
" The Ukraine crisis has its roots in NATO's provocative moves. We believe resorting to war is not the solution. The establishment of a ceasefire and focusing on a political and democratic solution is a must," he wrote on Twitter.
Russian President Vladimir Putin today authorised a special operation in the territory of Donbass. In response, the Western countries announced the imposition of tough sanctions against the Russian Federation.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan convened a meeting of the Security Council in connection with the developments in Ukraine. The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated that it strongly condemns the military operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which is unacceptable..
China has taken a neutral stance on the conflict and has urged its media outlets to refrain from using the term "Russian invasion" in their reports. Information about the situation in eastern Ukraine is contradictory. The information field is full of disinformation. NATO said that Russia would pay a very high economic and political price for this step towards Ukraine. The North Atlantic Alliance called on Russia to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw all its forces from Ukraine, to fully comply with international humanitarian law, to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access and assistance to all those in need. NATO is deploying additional defensive ground and air forces in the eastern part of the alliance.
US President Joe Biden said that Russia bears full responsibility for the death and destruction caused by the military operation launched by Moscow in eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Russia.
< We have severed diplomatic relations with Russia.. Ukraine is defending itself and will not give up its freedom no matter what Moscow thinks. The armed forces of Ukraine are fighting hard, the enemy is suffering losses, and there will be even more of them, because they invaded our land!>, Zelenskyy said at a briefing in Kiev.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in turn, called for an immediate ceasefire and the restoration of the rule of law at this critical moment. The European Union also promised to impose tough sanctions.