U.S., Allies To Hammer Russia’s Economy After Putin Launches Attack On Ukraine

Biden later said he had briefed Zelenskyy “on the steps we are taking to rally international condemnation,” and said the besieged president, “asked me to call on the leaders of the world to speak out clearly against President Putin’s flagrant aggression, and to stand with the people of Ukraine.”

U.S. officials have also reportedly spoken to Zelenskyy’s team about potentially moving the president out of the capital if there is a Russian invasion of Kyiv. Zelenskyy has so far said he plans to remain in his country.

But intelligence reports suggest that one of Russia’s chief goals is to replace Zelenskyy’s democratically elected government with a puppet regime beholden to Moscow, which potentially makes Zelenskyy and his cabinet especially valuable targets for arrest or attack.

Biden also held a secure call Wednesday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, and national security advisor Jake Sullivan about the attack on Ukraine.



Ukrainian Foreign Minister says it is an aggression
"Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter.

"This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now."



Russia's Position
Russia has demanded an end to NATO's eastward expansion and Putin repeated his position that Ukrainian membership of the U.S.-led Atlantic military alliance was unacceptable. He said he had authorised military action after Russia had been left with no choice but to defend itself against what he said were threats emanating from modern Ukraine, a democratic state of 44 million people.

SOURCE: CNBC
IMAGE SOURCE: PIXABAY
Contributions from Reuters