A largely united voice spoke out with condemnation and promises of sanctions.
Joe Biden said: “President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.” He said the United States would meet with allies to hammer out economic punishment.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Mr Putin was “responsible for bringing war back to Europe”. The sanctions would “weaken Russia’s economic base and its capacity to modernise”.
UK PM Boris Johnson said Mr Putin had “chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction” with an “unprovoked attack”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he stood by his allies in eastern Europe, saying Mr Putin would pay a “bitter price” for his “serious error”.
Calling for a speedy Nato summit, Mr Macron expressed France’s solidarity with Ukraine. It was a view echoed by many, including Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who called Russia’s attack “unjustified and unjustifiable”.
But there was also huge concern at what could happen next.
One German minister spoke of a “land war in Europe that we thought was only to find in history books”, while another, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, said Germany would help neighbours if there was a “large-scale influx” of refugees.
Read more here : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60507016
