The reactions of politicians around the world are very critical of Russia and Vladimir Putin, when he has just launched a large-scale “military operation” this Thursday, February 24, in Ukraine.
The world must create “an anti-Putin coalition” to “force Russia to peace”, declared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country is the target this Thursday of a military operation by Moscow. “We are building an anti-Putin coalition,” he said after meeting with US, British and German leaders.
An attack deemed “unjustified”
US President Joe Biden immediately denounced Russia’s “unjustified attack” on Ukraine. “President Putin has chosen (to launch) a premeditated war that will cause catastrophic human suffering and loss,” he said in a statement. “Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will cause,” he insisted, assuring that “the world would demand accountability from Russia.”
For his part, Boris Johnson announced that he would chair a crisis meeting from 7:30 a.m. this Thursday morning. The British Prime Minister “will chair a COBR (crisis) meeting at 07:30 (local and GMT) to discuss the response to the horrific attacks in Ukraine this morning,” a spokesman for the British leader said.
The German government, for its part, qualified the Russian military operation launched in Ukraine as a “sounding violation of international law” and threatened Moscow with “serious economic consequences”. “Germany condemns in the strongest possible terms this unscrupulous act by the President [Vladimir] Putin,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose country currently chairs the G7 forum.
In France, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron called on Moscow to “immediately put an end to its military operations”. “France strongly condemns Russia’s decision to wage war on Ukraine. […] France stands in solidarity with Ukraine. It stands alongside the Ukrainians and works with its partners and allies to end the war,” said the head of state in two tweets.
France stands in solidarity with Ukraine. It stands with the Ukrainians and works with its partners and allies to end the war.
—Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 24, 2022
The Kremlin will have to “account”
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi also called the Russian attack on Ukraine “unjustified and unjustifiable”, assuring that the European Union and NATO were working on an immediate response.
The Kremlin will have to “be accountable”, have indeed warned the heads of the European Union, Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen. The leaders of the Twenty-Seven are due to meet for a summit on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. GMT) in Brussels as the EU warned that “massive” sanctions would be taken against Moscow in the event of an attack on Ukraine.
“We will hold the Kremlin to account,” warned the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, in a joint tweet. For her part, Ursula von der Leyen strongly condemned “Russia’s unjustified attack on Ukraine”. “In these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent people facing this unprovoked attack and fearing for their lives. We will hold the Kremlin responsible,” she said.
Europe is united in its impactful response to Russia’s illegal actions and threats to Ukraine and its people.
We welcome the swift adoption of the sanctions package by the Council.
We stand for a rules based international order.
—Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 23, 2022
Reactions to the ends of the world
The Russian attack on Ukraine “shakes the foundations of the international order”, also denounced Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. “We strongly condemn Russia. We will coordinate efforts with the international community, including the United States, and react quickly” in the face of this situation, he added to the press, after a meeting of a national security council.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has condemned the “illegal invasion” of Russia by announcing sanctions against four financial institutions and 25 people belonging to four entities in charge of the development and sale of military technologies and equipment. weapons.
“Russia’s actions target Ukraine, but are at the same time an attack on the entire European security order,” the Finnish president, Vladimir Putin’s regular interlocutor, also said on Twitter.
While Sweden “condemns in the strongest terms the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s actions are also an attack on the European security order,” said Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.