The UN Security Council was holding an emergency meeting on Monday night after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway “republics” in eastern Ukraine as independent.
Driving the news: The rare nighttime meeting was called at the request of Ukraine, the U.S. and several other countries, including the United Kingdom and France. Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo said at the session’s opening that “the risk of major conflict is real and needs to be prevented at all costs.”
What they’re saying: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, took issue at the meeting with Putin’s description of Russian military activity in the breakaway provinces as “peacekeeping operations.”
- “This is nonsense,” she said. “We know what they really are,” Thomas-Greenfield continued, accusing Russia of “creating a pretext for war.”
- Zhang Jun, China’s representative said at the meeting that “all parties concerned must exercise restraint and avoid any action that may fuel tensions.”
Go deeper: Biden imposes sanctions over Putin’s recognition of breakaway Ukraine regions
Editor’s note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Source:axios.com