The UN Security Council was holding an emergency meeting on Monday night after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway “republics” in eastern Ukraine as independent.
Driving the news: The rare nighttime meeting was called at the request of Ukraine, the U.S. and several other countries, including the United Kingdom and France. Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo said at the session’s opening that “the risk of major conflict is real and needs to be prevented at all costs.”
Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.
What they’re saying: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, took issue at the meeting with Putin’s description of Russian military activity in the breakaway provinces as “peacekeeping operations.”
-
“This is nonsense,” she said. “We know what they really are,” Thomas-Greenfield continued, accusing Russia of “creating a pretext for war.”
-
Zhang Jun, China’s representative said at the meeting that “all parties concerned must exercise restraint and avoid any action that may fuel tensions.”
Go deeper: Biden imposes sanctions over Putin’s recognition of breakaway Ukraine regions
Editor’s note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
