THE HAGUE, Netherlands— From a hastily convened meeting of the United Nations Security Council to capitals around the world, leaders have condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of two pro-Russia regions in eastern Ukraine as independent and his order to send troops there.
They also warned of a global fallout from the crisis over Ukraine, which was evident Tuesday as oil prices rose, stock markets fell, and the U.K. slapped sanctions on Russian banks.
Here’s a glance at the top things to know Tuesday about the conflict over Ukraine and the security crisis in Eastern Europe:
“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser. He said “latest” was important. “An invasion is an invasion and that is what is under way.”
U.K. officials, including U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, noted that it’s not Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine. Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has previously operated in eastern Ukraine.
“Russia has already invaded Ukraine. They did it in 2014, occupied illegally Crimea and Donbas. This is a further invasion of their sovereign territory. No one recognizes the legitimacy of the occupation and annexation of Crimea. Not even the Chinese,” Wallace said.
The White House issued an executive order Monday to prohibit U.S. investment and trade in the separatist regions and Britain slapped sanctions Tuesday on Russian banks. Additional measures — likely sanctions — were to be announced later Tuesday by the U.S. and the European Union.
