Washington – US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said the “world will hold Russia accountable” over a military onslaught against Ukraine that he warned will cause “catastrophic loss of life”.
In a statement issued shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of military operations in Ukraine, Biden said he would address the US public on Thursday to outline the “consequences” for Russia, calling the attack “unprovoked and unjustified.”
Biden also held a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky soon after explosions were heard in multiple parts of the country, which is sandwiched between Russia and NATO member Poland.
“We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Biden said in a statement after the call, adding that Zelensky had requested him to “call on the leaders of the world to speak out clearly” against Putin’s “flagrant aggression.”
The US Secretaries of State and Defense also spoke with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg to condemn the “unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine,” said the State Department.
