They condemned Russia's assault on its neighbour because the European Union, United Kingdom and others promised unprecedented sanctions to hit the Kremlin.
NATO moved to beef up its jap flank dealing with Russia and deliberate a digital leaders' summit for Friday after President Vladimir Putin warned anybody listening that any interference would "result in penalties you may have by no means seen in historical past."
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EU and NATO member Lithuania declared a state of emergency because the Baltic nation borders Russia's Kaliningrad area to the south-west and Russia's ally Belarus to the east.
NATO nations have 100 jets and 120 ships on excessive alert as deterrence.
"Make no mistake: we'll defend each ally towards any assault on each inch of NATO territory," mentioned NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen known as it a "barbaric assault" on an impartial nation that additionally focused "the soundness in Europe and the entire of the worldwide peace order." The EU will maintain an emergency summit in Brussels.
Obvious Russian strikes hit Ukraine's capital
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson mentioned the invasion "hideous and barbaric", whereas pledging "a large package deal of financial sanctions to be agreed right now" that will "hobble" the Russian financial system.
"Our mission is evident, diplomatically, politically, economically, and ultimately, militarily, this hideous, barbaric enterprise of Vladimir Putin should finish in failure," he mentioned.
However nobody promised to maneuver in militarily and defend Ukraine because it might spark off a significant European conflict.
So as an alternative, a lot of the world — together with Australia however notably however not China — condemned and threatened to hit the Russian elites with, within the phrases of Ms von der Leyen, "huge and focused sanctions."
She's going to put to EU leaders late Thursday a proposal that "will goal strategic sectors of the Russian financial system by blocking the entry to applied sciences and markets which are key for Russia."
She mentioned the sanctions, if permitted, "will weaken Russia's financial base and its capability to modernise."
"As well as, we'll freeze Russian property within the European Union and cease the entry of Russian banks to European monetary markets," She mentioned.
Like the primary package deal of sanctions that have been imposed when Russia recognised the 2 breakaway jap Ukrainian republics, Ms von der Leyen mentioned all Western powers have been strolling in lockstep.
"We're carefully aligned with our companions and allies the USA, the UK, Canada, but additionally, for instance, Japan and Australia," she mentioned.
Highlighting a widening rift in superpower relations, China stood alone in failing to sentence the assault and as an alternative accused the USA and its allies of worsening the disaster.
And it put its friendship in apply Thursday by approving imports of wheat from Russia, a transfer that would assist to scale back the affect of attainable elevated Western sanctions.
Russia is without doubt one of the largest wheat producers however can be susceptible if overseas markets block shipments.
In a transparent defence of Moscow, China "known as on events to respect others' professional safety issues."
Overseas Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying mentioned "all events ought to work for peace as an alternative of escalating the strain or hyping up the opportunity of conflict", in language China has persistently used to criticise the West within the disaster.
"These events who have been busy condemning others, what have they executed? Have they persuaded others?" Ms Hua mentioned.
One factor was clear — weeks of diplomatic cajoling, international crisscrossing of leaders and overseas ministers, and the specter of sanctions towards Putin's interior circle had did not dissuade the Kremlin from taking one of the vital measures in Europe because the finish of the Chilly Struggle.
General, extra sanctions seem the one possibility for the foreseeable future. And from South Korea to Australia to Europe, governments have been lining as much as oppose Putin.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who had laboured till the final minute for a diplomatic resolution, mentioned "France firmly condemns Russia's resolution to wage conflict," and promised help for Ukraine.
The turmoil from the start of a long-feared act of aggression rippled from Europe to Asia.
Inventory markets plunged, oil costs surged, and European aviation officers warned of a excessive threat to civilian plane over Ukraine, reminding air operators that "that is now an energetic battle zone."
Russia's assault and uncertainty in regards to the depth of the Western response despatched shares tumbling and oil costs surging by greater than US$5 ($7.98) per barrel.
Market benchmarks in Europe and Asia fell by as a lot as 4 per cent, whereas Brent crude oil briefly jumped above US$100 ($139.70) per barrel in London for the primary time since 2014 on unease about attainable disruption of provides from Russia, the No. 3 producer.
In New York, the UN Safety Council held a rare emergency assembly meant to dissuade Russia from sending troops into Ukraine.
Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres' plea to "give peace an opportunity" got here simply as Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared on Russian TV to announce the navy operation.
Explosions have been heard in Kyiv and different cities in Ukraine. Moscow had massed greater than 150,000 troops on Ukraine's borders. On Monday, Mr Putin recognised the independence of two separatist areas in jap Ukraine and ordered Russian forces there for what he known as "peacekeeping".
To keep away from worldwide civilian casualties, the European Union Aviation Security Company mentioned "there's a threat of each intentional focusing on and misidentification of civil plane" and that "the presence and attainable use of a variety of floor and airborne warfare techniques poses a HIGH threat for civil flights working in any respect altitudes."
The assault touched all sectors of society throughout the globe. The director of the Africa Centres for Illness Management and Prevention overtly frightened that international consideration will now shift even farther from serving to the world's least vaccinated continent reply to COVID-19.
"The battle in Ukraine undoubtedly will draw consideration, political consideration, in the direction of that disaster," John Nkengasong mentioned.