美国继续警告俄罗斯可能入侵乌克兰”随便哪一天在该地区紧张局势不断升级的情况下，美国总统乔·拜登星期五告诉记者，他“确信”俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京已经决定入侵。
然而，更多的外交似乎是可能的，拜登周日“原则上”同意与普京会面，只要俄罗斯不入侵，但克里姆林宫周一表示，谈论峰会“为时过早”
周一，普京在对俄罗斯公众的讲话中宣布，他承认乌克兰东部顿巴斯地区由俄罗斯控制的两个分离主义地区独立，这两个地区分别自称为顿涅茨克和卢甘斯克人民共和国。
拜登迅速以制裁回应普京。白宫表示，拜登将发布一项行政命令，禁止“美国人在所谓的乌克兰DNR和LNR地区进行新的投资、贸易和融资”白宫新闻秘书珍·普萨基(Jen Psaki)表示，该命令“还将授权对任何决心在乌克兰这些地区活动的人实施制裁”，并补充说，美国“也将很快宣布与俄罗斯今天公然违反国际承诺有关的其他措施。”
尽管美国表示，估计约有19万俄罗斯军队和分裂势力集结在乌克兰边境附近，但俄罗斯否认有任何入侵计划，并重申其要求美国和北约禁止乌克兰加入这个军事联盟。
乌克兰特使称联合国感染了克里姆林宫传播的“病毒”
周二晚上，俄罗斯特使在联合国安理会紧急会议上发言后，乌克兰特使开始发表讲话，称他不敢摘下面具，不是因为新冠肺炎，而是“因为迄今为止还没有疫苗的病毒——憎恨联合国的病毒和由克里姆林宫传播的病毒。”
Sergiy Kyslytsya大使在一次严厉的警告中说，这种“病毒”已经感染了联合国，并威胁要杀死它。
“联合国病了，这是事实，”他说。“它受到了克里姆林宫病毒传播的影响。它会屈服于这种病毒吗?这掌握在会员国手中。”
Kyslytsya警告说，他认为不仅仅是联合国受到威胁。在讲话中，他举着一张纸，上面有一份克里姆林宫2008年承认俄罗斯支持的“分离”省份的法令，以及周一发布的承认分裂分子顿涅茨克和卢甘斯克的法令，显示出它们几乎完全相同。
“复制，粘贴。复制粘贴。一点创造力都没有。克里姆林宫的复印机很好用。下一个联合国成员是谁?这个问题还没有定论，”他说。
Kyslytsya要求俄罗斯“取消”并撤走乌克兰领土上的“额外的俄罗斯占领军”，他坚持说，“无论俄罗斯联邦的任何声明和行动，国际公认的乌克兰边界一直并将继续保持不变。”
“我们致力于和平的外交途径，并将坚定不移地走下去。我们在自己的土地上。我们不怕任何事或任何人。我们不欠任何人任何东西，我们也不会把任何东西给任何人，”他说。
乌克兰强调全球应对俄罗斯的重要性
乌克兰外交部在一份声明中呼吁对俄罗斯实施“痛苦的制裁”，并指出世界如何回应可能会极大地影响俄罗斯的下一步行动。
“俄罗斯联邦的进一步决定和步骤在很大程度上取决于世界对今天事件的反应，”声明写道。“因此，我们坚持对俄罗斯实施痛苦的制裁，以便发出不允许进一步升级的明确信号。是时候采取行动结束俄罗斯的侵略，恢复欧洲的和平与稳定了。”
该国重申已做好自卫准备，称其“理解俄罗斯挑衅乌克兰的意图和愿望。我们考虑到所有风险，不会屈服于挑衅。”
乌克兰外长库勒巴目前正在华盛顿，并将于周二会见美国国务卿布林肯。
俄罗斯特使驳回批评，在安理会会议上指责乌克兰
俄罗斯驻联合国大使瓦西里·内本齐亚星期二在联合国安理会紧急会议上发表讲话时，驳斥了对俄罗斯“高度情绪化”的批评，并表示当地局势没有任何变化，同时还指责乌克兰对弗拉基米尔·普京总统当天早些时候做出的决定负有责任。
内本齐亚驳斥了“对俄罗斯即将入侵乌克兰的毫无根据的恐慌”——俄罗斯军队正准备越过边境——并将俄罗斯描绘成一个和平主义英雄，欢迎被俄罗斯领导的分裂分子强迫登上公共汽车的难民。
“我们刚刚听到了一些高度情绪化的声明、明确的评估和意义深远的结论，”他在紧急会议上说。“我不会回答对我们的直接口头攻击。现在重要的是专注于如何避免战争，如何迫使乌克兰停止对顿涅茨克和卢甘斯克的炮击和挑衅。”
俄罗斯控制的分裂分子应对炮击和挑衅负责，但Nebenzia努力将乌克兰描绘成侵略者，将俄罗斯描绘成阻止战争的力量，尽管俄罗斯实际上夺取了乌克兰的领土。
美国将于周二宣布对俄罗斯的新制裁
一名白宫官员告诉美国广播公司新闻，拜登政府计划周二对俄罗斯实施额外制裁。
“我们计划明天宣布对俄罗斯的新制裁，以回应莫斯科今天的决定和行动，”该官员表示。
白宫官员和国务院发言人告诉美国广播公司新闻，美国正在就前进的道路与盟友和伙伴进行磋商。
在这些磋商中，包括美国国务卿布林肯(Antony Johnson)周一晚上与乌克兰外长库勒巴(Dmytro Kuleba)的一次谈话，他们在周二的会面之前谈到了对俄罗斯实施严厉制裁的必要性。
这位发言人将俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京周一的行动描述为“重大升级”，“再次表明俄罗斯正在寻求战争，而不是外交”
周一早些时候，美国总统乔·拜登(Joe Biden)在推特上发布了一张自己签署行政命令的照片，授权实施有限制裁，以回应俄罗斯承认乌克兰东部两个地区独立的决定。
Russia-Ukraine updates: Ukraine envoy says UN infected with 'virus' spread by Kremlin
The United States continues to warn that Russia could invade Ukraine "any day" amid escalating tensions in the region, with President Joe Biden telling reporters Friday he's "convinced" Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade.
More diplomacy seemed possible, though, with Biden agreeing "in principle" Sunday to meet with Putin, as long as Russia didn't invade, but the Kremlin on Monday said talk of a summit was "premature."
In an address to the Russian public on Monday, Putin announced that he's recognizing two Russian-controlled separatist regions in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region as independent: the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.
Biden swiftly responded to Putin with sanctions. The White House said Biden will issue an executive order banning "new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine." The order "will also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, adding that the U.S. "will also soon announce additional measures related to today’s blatant violation of Russia’s international commitments."
While the U.S. says some 190,000 Russian troops and separatist forces are estimated to be massed near Ukraine's borders, Russia has denied any plans to invade and reiterated its demands that the U.S. and NATO bar Ukraine from joining the military alliance.
Ukrainian envoy says UN is infected with ‘virus’ spread by Kremlin
After the Russian envoy spoke at the U.N. Security Council’s emergency meeting Tuesday night, Ukraine’s envoy began his remarks by saying he was afraid to take off his mask not because of COVID-19 but “because of the virus that has so far no vaccine -- the virus that hates the United Nations andthe virus that is spread by the Kremlin.”
That “virus” has infected the U.N. and threatens to kill it, AmbassadorSergiy Kyslytsya said in a stark warning.
“The United Nations is sick, that’s a matter of fact,” he said.“It’s been hit by the virus spread by the Kremlin. Will it succumb to this virus? It is in the hands of the membership.”
Kyslytsya warned it’s not just the U.N. that he believes is under threat. During his remarks, he held up a paper that had a copy of the Kremlin’s decree recognizing Russian-backed “breakaway” provinces from Georgia in 2008 and the decree issued Monday recognizing the separatist Donetskand Luhansk, showing how they’re almost the exact same.
“Copy, paste. Copy, paste. No creativity whatsoever. The copying machine in the Kremlin works very well.Who is next among the members of the United Nations? The question is open,” he said.
Kyslytsya demanded that Russia “cancel” and remove “additional Russian occupation troops” in Ukrainian territory, and he insisted, “The internationally recognized borders of Ukraine have been and will remain unchangeable regardless of any statements and actions by the Russian Federation.”
“We are committed to a peaceful and diplomatic path, and we will stay firmly on it.We are on our land. We are not afraid of anything or anyone. We owe nothing to anyone, and we will not give away anything to anyone,” he said.
Ukraine highlights importance of global response to Russia
Ukraine called for “painful sanctions” against Russia in a statement released by its foreign ministry, noting that how the world responds may greatly influence Russia’s next move.
“Further decisions and steps of the Russian Federation largely depend on the world’s reaction to today’s events,” the statement read. “Therefore, we insist on imposing painful sanctions against Russia in order to send a clear signal of the inadmissibility of further escalation.It is time to act to end Russia’s aggression and restore peace and stability in Europe.”
The country reiterated that it is ready to defend itself, stating that it “understands Russia’s intentions and its desire to provoke Ukraine. We take into account all risks and do not succumb to provocations.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is currently in Washington and meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday.
Russian envoy dismisses criticisms, blames Ukraine in Security Council meeting
In remarks during an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting Tuesday, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia dismissed “highly emotional” criticisms of Russia and said nothing has changed on the ground, while also blaming Ukraine for the decisions President Vladimir Putin’s decisions made earlier in the day.
Nebenzia dismissed “unfounded panic about an impending Russian invasion of Ukraine” — as Russian troops prepare to come across the border -- and painted Russia as a pacifist hero that welcomed refugees who were forced onto buses by Russian-led separatists.
“We’ve just heard a number of highly emotional statements, categorical assessments, and far-reaching conclusions,” he said during the emergency meeting. “I’ll leave the direct verbal assaults against us unanswered. Now it’s important to focus on how to avoid war and how to force Ukraine to stop the shelling and provocations against Donetsk and Luhansk.”
Russian-controlled separatists are responsible for the shelling and for staging the provocations, but Nebenzia worked to portray Ukraine as the aggressor and Russia as the force preventing war, despite it essentially seizing Ukrainian territory.
US to announce new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday
The Biden administration plans to impose additional sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, a White House official told ABC News.
"We plan to announce new sanctions on Russia tomorrow in response to Moscow’s decision and actions today," the official said.
The U.S. is consulting with allies and partners now on the way forward, the White House official and a spokesperson for the State Department told ABC News.
Among those consultations was a conversationSecretary of State Antony Blinken had with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Monday night -- ahead of their in-person meeting Tuesday in Washington -- in which they spoke about the necessity for tough sanctions on Russia.
The spokesperson described Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions on Monday as "a major escalation" and"another indication that Russia is seeking war, not diplomacy."
Earlier on Monday, President Joe Biden tweeted a photo of himself signing an executive order to authorize limited sanctions in response to Russia’s decision to recognize the independenceof two regions in eastern Ukraine.
