Rabia Iclal Turan
24 February 2022•Update: 24 February 2022
ISTANBUL
The US president on Thursday held a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, discussing “unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces.”
Joe Biden said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "reached out to him tonight", and added that he condemned "this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces."
"I briefed him on the steps we are taking to rally international condemnation, including tonight at the United Nations Security Council," he said
"He (Zelenskyy) 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," Biden added.
Reminding that he will meet the leaders of the G7 tomorrow, he stressed that the US and its allies "will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia."
“We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” the US president said.
Russia has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is targeting key areas in cities with weapons and missiles, according to reports.
On early Thursday, explosions were reported in several Ukrainian provinces, including the capital Kyiv, and several tanks reportedly crossed the border with Belarus into Ukraine.
In a statement on Thursday morning, the Russian Defense Ministry announced it is using “high-precision weapons” to disable air defense systems, military airports, and air forces in Ukraine.
