Russia’s claim to be sending troops into Ukraine as peacekeepers is ‘nonsense’, says US

‘Consequences of Russia’s actions will be dire, spanning Ukraine, Europe and across the globe’

US on Monday called Russia’s peacekeeping operation in eastern Ukraine “nonsense” and said Vladimir Putin’s move to recognise separatist territories as independent is pretext for war.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, said at the emergency meeting called by the United Nations Security Council on Monday that the consequences of Russia’s actions “will be dire”, spanning Ukraine, Europe and the globe.

The UNSC called an emergency meeting of its 15-member council starting late Monday night and running into Tuesday in New York, shortly after Russia said it recognises the Ukrainian rebel-held territories of Donetsk and Luhansk.

“...and it is the third time you heard from the rest of the Security Council, a unified message: that Russia should not start war. That Russia should lean toward diplomacy. That it should not continue its unprovoked attacks on Ukraine – on Ukraine’s sovereignty and on their territorial integrity,” she told the Security Council, as the US called on Russia to “cease its hostilities”.

Pointing to the Minsk protocol, Ms Thomas-Greenfield said that the Russian president has demolished the agreement from 2014-2015 which was designed to broker peace between the Ukrainian troops and Russian rebels in the eastern Ukraine.

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"President Putin has torn the Minsk Agreement to shreds. We have been clear that we do not believe he will stop at that," the envoy said.

Present at the UNSC table, Russia said it was still open to the diplomacy route to resolve the simmering conflict.

“We remain open to diplomacy for a diplomatic solution, however, allowing a new bloodbath in the Donbass is something we do not intend to do," the Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said at the emergency meeting.

He also warned the western powers to “think twice” and not worsen the brewing conflict in Ukraine.

The US is set to impose sanctions on Russia against its latest move to recognise the breakaway regions as independent, which experts fear Mr Putin can use to gain territorial control in the crisis.

“Tomorrow, the US will impose sanctions on Russia for its violation of international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We can, will, and must stand united in our calls for Russia to withdraw its forces, return to the diplomatic table and work toward peace,” Ms Thomas-Greenfield said.

The conflict surrounding Ukraine amid fears of impending invasion from Russia escalated on Monday even as more than 150,000 troops continue to corner Ukraine from three sides.

Russia has denied any plans of invasion and accused the West of creating hysteria through alleged propaganda.

Most security council members took on Russia, censuring its actions, as others asked for calm and restraint from the players engaged in the conflict.

Kenya’s UN ambassador Martin Kimani slammed what he called a trend of powerful states breaching international law with little regard, adding: "Multilateralism lies on its deathbed tonight."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes that Russia’s moves from Monday violate the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, a UN spokesperson said.

The United Nations regretted Russian order to deploy troops into eastern Ukraine on a reported “peacekeeping mission,” the UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the UNSC.

Ukrainian ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya present during the emergency meet said that Kiev is seeking wants peace and will not succumb to provocations.

“We want peace and we are consistent in our actions…We are committed to a political and diplomatic settlement, we do not succumb to provocations,” Mr Kyslytsya said at the emergency meeting, delivering Ukraine’s first remarks at the UN amid the brewing crisis.

“Today, the entire membership of the United Nations is under attack. Under attack by the country that occupied the membership of the Security Council in 1991 bypassing the UN charter,” the envoy said, adding that Russia occupied parts of Ukraine in 2014.