NATO tells Putin to 'immediately stop this war', calls out China, Belarus: LIVE UPDATES
World leaders gathering in Belgium Thursday for a special NATO summit regarding the war in Ukraine have released a joint statement urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to "immediately stop this war and withdraw military forces from Ukraine".
Coverage for this event has ended.
It has been two humiliating days for Russia at the United Nations. On Thursday, a vote on a humanitarian draft resolution on Ukraine in the General Assembly sponsored by South Africa failed on a matter of procedure.
While not authored by Russia, Ukraine’s ambassador called the South African effort the "twin brother" of Russia’s failed text that only received the support of China at a vote Wednesday at the U.N. Security Council.
Thursday’s United Nations General Assembly votes were originally intended for a Ukraine-sponsored humanitarian resolution that, among other things, condemned Russia’s invasion and called for unhindered humanitarian assistance to those in need in Ukraine, including the protection of civilians and the respect of human rights.
Russia fails to 'undermine' UN's unified efforts in Ukraine, ambassador says
Médecins Sans Frontières, otherwise known as Doctors Without Borders, has been on the ground in Ukraine since 1999, according to their director, Dr. Carrie Teicher, who spoke to me on SiriusXM’s "Doctor Radio."
Teicher, a public health specialist, told me that their previous work had focused on chronic infectious diseases and that they are using connections they have made with the Ukraine’s Ministry of Health to provide as much support as possible for the current humanitarian crisis.
"When we think about humanitarian needs and humanitarian medical needs in a conflict we look at what resources are there and I think one of the things that we have been very clear at seeing that we need is some increased support or rather us providing support to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and medical authorities on mass casualty training. It’s very different when you are running -- think about your urgent care here in the United States if suddenly it needed to be transformed -- your Emergency Room, your ED, to deal with mass casualties of intentional injuries of conflict. And so, that in and of itself is an entire portfolio of work that has to be done," she said.
As Ukraine war rages, Doctors Without Border works to transform hospitals inside the country
EXCLUSIVE: PONTE VEDRA, FLA.—The top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, and the head of the GOP cybersecurity task force, Rep. John Katko, that he would be "very surprised" if Russia does not carry out a cyber attack against the United States, warning that the Biden administration is "not doing anything" to prevent attacks.
Biden, on Monday, warned that U.S. officials have collected "evolving intelligence" to suggest that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks against the United States amid its multi-front war against Ukraine.
Katko, R-N.Y., on the sidelines of the House Republican Issues Conference, said it is "good" that Biden is warning Americans, noting that a cyberattack from Russia could be "quite severe."
"Assume there is a heightened chance of that happening, given Russia has got their backs agains the wall and things aren’t going well in Ukraine," Katko told Fox News. "Assume that that is probably going to happen, and act accordingly."
Katko warns of Russian cyberattacks against US, says Biden 'not doing anything about it'
President Biden suggested Thursday that sanctions were not meant to deter the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, telling reporters now that "sanctions never deter."
"Sir, deterrence didn’t work. What makes you think Vladimir Putin will alter course based on the action you’ve taken today," Biden was asked during a press conference at a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium.
"Let's get something straight," Biden responded. "You remember, if you covered me from the very beginning, I did not say that in fact the sanctions would deter him. Sanctions never deter. You keep talking about that. Sanctions never deter."
President Biden on Thursday said he believes that China’s desire to be competitively engaged on the global market will deter it from aiding Russian President Vladimir Putin during his deadly war in Ukraine.
"China understands that its economic future is much more closely tied to the West than it is to Russia," Biden told reporters speaking from a NATO summit in Brussels. "And so I'm hopeful that he does not get engaged."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spelled out the damage the Russian invasion has done to the country, claiming in a social media post Thursday that it has claimed the lives of over 100 children.
“In a month of the war, 4379 houses were destroyed. 6.5 million Ukrainians left their homes. Thousands were killed, including 121 children," Zelenskyy said.
The comments come as President Biden traveled to Europe to meet with NATO leaders to discuss next steps for the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine accused Russia of forcing nearly half a million civilians from battered Ukrainian cities to Russia, where Ukrainian officials fear they could be held hostage and used to pressure the government to give up their defense of the country.
Ukraine claims that the Russians have taken 402,000 people, which includes 84,000 children, to Russia against their will, according to reporting from the Associated Press.
But Russia claims that the people it has evacuated to Russian territory wanted to be in Russia, noting that many of the people are from predominately Russian-speaking regions that have been controlled by rebel groups since 2014.
President Biden on Thursday said the United States response to Russia’s potential use of chemical weapons would "trigger a response in kind," but said the type of response would depend on "the nature of the use."
During a press conference in Brussels, Belgium after Biden participated in an emergency NATO meeting to discuss international efforts to support Ukraine and punish Russia for its invasion, he was pressed on if the United States has collected intelligence that suggests the Kremlin is moving to deploy chemical weapons."We would respond," Biden said.
"We would respond if he uses it."
US response to Russian chemical weapons would be 'in kind': Biden
President Joe Biden speaks about the Russian invasion of Ukraine during a press conference after a NATO summit and Group of Seven meeting at NATO headquarters on Thursday in Brussels, Belgium. (AP/Evan Vucci)
President Biden said Thursday when asked about the effects of sanctions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine said “sanctions never deter, the maintenance of sanctions, the increasing the pain... why I asked for this NATO meeting today is to be sure that after a month we will sustain what we are doing, not just next month, the following month but for the remainder of this entire year.
“That is what will stop him,” Biden said, referring to Putin.
“The single most important thing is for us to stay unified and the world continue to focus on what a brute this guy is and all the innocent people’s lives are being lost and ruined and what is going on,” Biden added.
President Biden said Thursday he believes Russia should be removed from the upcoming G20 summit in Indonesia later this year, and that if it can’t be done, that Ukraine should be able to attend as well.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin plans to attend the G20 summit at the end of October, the country’s ambassador to Indonesia said Wednesday.
President Joe Biden said Thursday following meetings at the NATO summit in Brussels that the U.S. will send $1 billion in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
“Many Ukrainian refugees will wish to stay in Europe closer to their homes but we will also welcome 100,000 Ukrainians to the United States with a focus on reuniting families,” Biden said.
Click here to watch on Fox News.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday during meetings at the NATO summit in Brussels that “there isn’t a Western democracy that is currently contemplating putting boots on the ground in Ukraine.”
“Nor is there a country that is willing to enforce a no-fly zone in the way that we would so like to – but unfortunately it does mean air to ground attacks on Russian air defenses and taking down Russian jets and asking the Royal Air Force to do that," Johnson said. "That is not something any country here is contemplating.”
“What we are doing is steadily ratcheting up the movement of lethal but defensive weaponry to Ukraine and that is growing in volume the whole time,” Johnson added.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States ambassador to the United Nations, speaks during a meeting of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. (AP/John Minchillo)
The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday has overwhelmingly approved a resolution blaming Russia for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and urging an immediate cease-fire.
Thursday’s vote on the resolution was 140-5 with only Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea joining Russia in opposing the measure. There were 38 abstentions, including China.
The resolution deplores Russia’s shelling, airstrikes and “besiegement” of densely populated cities, including the southern city of Mariupol, and demands unhindered access for humanitarian aid.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The 30-member NATO alliance on Thursday called on China to abandon any plans to support Russia during its "war effort" in Ukraine and asked that it look to use its "significant influence" to broker peace instead.
"China must not provide economic or military support for the Russian innovation," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said following an extraordinary summit in Brussels. "Beijing should use its significant influence on Russia and promote an immediate peaceful resolution."
Over the last several weeks, reports have surfaced suggesting that the U.S. and its European allies have received intelligence that Beijing is considering supplying its ally with aid as Russian President Vladimir Putin has failed to swiftly take Ukraine.
China has repeatedly claimed that it respects international laws enshrined under the United Nations along with a state's right to sovereignty.
For more on this story: NATO calls on China to refrain from supporting 'Russia's war effort,' use 'significant influence' for peace
From left, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Joe Biden, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and France's President Emmanuel Macron pose for a G7 leaders' group photo during a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday. (Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
World leaders gathering in Belgium Thursday for a special NATO summit regarding the war in Ukraine have released a joint statement urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to "immediately stop this war and withdraw military forces from Ukraine, and call on Belarus to end its complicity."
"We urge Russia to allow rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access and safe passage for civilians, and to allow for humanitarian aid to be delivered to Mariupol and other besieged cities," the statement continued.
"Russia needs to show it is serious about negotiations by immediately implementing a ceasefire. We call on Russia to engage constructively in credible negotiations with Ukraine to achieve concrete results, starting with a sustainable ceasefire and moving towards a complete withdrawal of its troops from Ukrainian territory," the statement also said. "Russia’s continuing aggression while discussions are taking place is deplorable."
NATO also said it would "continue to provide assistance [to Ukraine] in such areas as cybersecurity and protection against threats of a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear nature."
The alliance also called out China for its relations with Russia during the alliance.
"We call on all states, including the People’s Republic of China (PRC), to uphold the international order including the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, as enshrined in the UN Charter, to abstain from supporting Russia’s war effort in any way, and to refrain from any action that helps Russia circumvent sanctions," it said. "We are concerned by recent public comments by PRC officials and call on China to cease amplifying the Kremlin’s false narratives, in particular on the war and on NATO, and to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict."
The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence said Thursday that Russian's military "have almost certainly suffered thousands of casualties during their invasion of Ukraine."
"Russia is likely now looking to mobilize its reservist and conscript manpower, as well as private military companies and foreign mercenaries, to replace these considerable losses," it continued.
"It is unclear how these groups will integrate into the Russian ground forces in Ukraine and the impact this will have on combat effectiveness," it added.
The independent Russian news outlet The Insider said Oksana Baulina was killed Wednesday when she was documenting the damage of Russian shelling in the Podil district of Kyiv. (AP/Pavel Golovkin)
A Russian journalist covering the Ukraine invasion from Kyiv for the independent Russian news outlet The Insider was killed Wednesday as shelling bombarded the city, the outlet confirmed.
Oksana Baulina was documenting the damage caused by Russian shelling to the Podil district of the capital when the area came under a new strike, according to the outlet.
It said the bombardment also killed a civilian and hospitalized two people who were wounded while accompanying Baulina.
For more on this story: Russian journalist Oksana Baulina killed in Kyiv shelling
A Russian army soldier stands next to local residents lining up for humanitarian aid in Mariupol on Wednesday. (Reuters/Alexander Ermochenko)
Mariupol's city council said Thursday that 15,000 residents of the besieged city have been illegally deported to Russia.
"Residents of the Left Bank district are beginning to be deported en masse to Russia. In total, about 15,000 Mariupol residents have been subjected to illegal deportation," a statement read, according to Reuters.
Russian media earlier this week said buses have been carrying hundreds of people from Mariupol to Russia in recent days, Reuters added. Moscow has been describing those people as refugees.
Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby joined 'America's Newsroom' to discuss the U.S. accusing Russia of war crimes in Ukraine amid President Biden's visit to Eastern Europe.
President Joe Biden attends a North Atlantic Council meeting during a NATO summit to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the alliance's headquarters on Thursday in Brussels, with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, top left, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, top right. (Evelyn Hockstein, Pool via AP)
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll has found that 56% of Americans believe President Biden hasn't been tough enough in his response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The poll, based on interviews with 1,082 U.S. adults between March 17-21, found that 56% think Biden's response to Russia's invasion hasn't been tough enough, while 36% think it's about right and 6% think it's too tough.
When answering the question based on political party affiliation, 43% of Democrats believe Biden isn't being tough enough, compared to 68% of Republicans.
Just 20% of Republicans found Biden's response to be about right, while 53% of Democrats thought the same.
In a video address to the NATO summit Thursday, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged NATO to provide Ukraine with “1% of all your planes, 1% of all your tanks.”
“We can’t just buy those,” Zelenskyy said. “When we will have all this, it will give us, just like you, 100% security.”
Ukraine is also in dire need of multiple launch rocket systems, anti-ship weapons and air defense systems, Zelenskyy said.
“Is it possible to survive in such a war without this?,” he asked.
Zelenskyy also said Russia used phosphorous bombs on Thursday morning, killing both adults and children. He reminded NATO leaders that thousands of Ukrainians have died in the past month, 10 million people have left their homes, and urged NATO to give “clear answers.”
“It feels like we’re in a gray area, between the West and Russia, defending our common values,” Zelenskyy said. “This is the scariest thing during a war -- not to have clear answers to requests for help.”
Zelenskyy did not reiterate his request for a no-fly zone or ask to join NATO, according to a senior Biden administration official.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The port city of Mariupol continues to endure Putin's assault as the Russian invasion into Ukraine continues, starving the residents of the city who are desperate for life's necessities like food and water.
Mariupol Deputy Mayor Sergei Orlov joined "Fox & Friends First" Thursday to discuss what life is like on the ground in his battle-ridden city and how the Ukrainian resistance is holding its own against Russian forces.
"I am absolutely sure that Ukrainian Army will defend our city up to the last bullet," Orlov told co-hosts Carley Shimkus and Todd Piro.
"So I don't know how many days is it possible to survive because people are in very bad condition and awful condition, and… I'm absolutely sure it's war crimes and genocide," he continued.
For more on this story: Mariupol deputy mayor says residents suffering from Russian 'war crimes, genocide'
A Twitter account affiliated with Russian state media has posted a video clip Thursday purportedly showing Russian President Vladimir Putin in a meeting with Sergei Shoigu, the head of Russia's Ministry of Defense.
The clip was posted a day after Fox News reported that Shoigu has not been seen in public for 12 days and is possibly missing, according to reports and messages circulated on Telegram.
There are rumors that Shoigu is in poor health and is experiencing heart problems, while other messages are swirling online suggest Shoigu might have been fired from the ministry and is on house arrest, according to Russian journalists.
Fox News' Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
Refugees from Ukraine cross into Poland on Thursday. (Photo by Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP via Getty Images)
The U.S. will accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, the White House said Thursday.
The U.S. will sanction more than 300 members of the Russian Duma, part of its Federal Assembly. The Biden administration will also sanction more than 40 Russian defense companies.
The White House made the announcement with President Biden at a NATO summit in Belgium.
For more on this story: US to take in up to 100K Ukrainian refugees, sanction more Russian officials, defense companies
A view of the Russian Diplomatic Compound at 355 West 255th Street (Google Maps)
A New York lawmaker is calling on the FBI to investigate the Russian Diplomatic Compound that experts previously told Fox News Digital houses diplomats who are here to spy on the country.
"We have been appalled and alarmed by Vladimir Putin's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We have been appalled by his war crimes against the Ukrainian people, and it is in that context that I have formally requested that the FBI open an investigation into reports of espionage at the Russian diplomatic compound," Rep. Ritchie Torres told reporters Tuesday about the white high-rise tower located at 355 West 255th Street.
The Bronx Democrat called it "both metaphorically and literally a structure of surveillance."
"We can no longer afford to have the war crimes of Vladimir Putin aided and abetted espionage in our own backyard," he continued. "Russia has a long history of conducting espionage operations against the United States.
For more on this story: NY lawmaker calls on FBI to investigate Russian 'spy' compound
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NATO representatives Thursday that in order "to save people and our cities, Ukraine needs military assistance without restrictions," according to France24.
"In the same way that Russia is using its full arsenal without restrictions against us," he reportedly added.
'Fox & Friends First' host Carley Shimkus talks culture, community and family with Ukrainian New Yorkers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that "NATO has yet to show what the Alliance can do to save people," according to the Kyiv Independent news website.
“To show that this is truly the most powerful defense association in the world. And the world is waiting. And Ukraine is very much waiting, for real action,” Zelenskyy reportedly added.
U.S. President Joe Biden, left, French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speak prior to a group photo during the NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday. (AP/Thibault Camus)
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday that "the reality is that [President] Vladimir Putin has already crossed the red line into barbarism."
Johnson said while arriving at the NATO summit that “it’s now up to NATO to consider together the appalling crisis in Ukraine, the appalling suffering of the people of Ukraine, and to see what more we can do to help the people of Ukraine to protect themselves.”
As an organization, NATO is not providing weapons to Ukraine. The 30-nation alliance refuses to send troops to Ukraine, either for combat or peacekeeping, and has said it will not deploy aircraft to protect civilians or police any no-fly zone.
But member countries are providing weapons and other assistance, individually or in groups.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A board with the logo of the Moscow Exchange is on display outside its office in the capital city of Moscow, Russia, on Thursday. (Reuters/Maxim Shemetov)
Russia reopened its stock market for an abbreviated session on Thursday nearly one month after shares plunged and the exchange was shut down following the invasion of Ukraine.
The Russia MOEX was trading 9% higher.
There will be heavy restrictions on trading to prevent the kind of massive selloff that took place in anticipation of crushing financial and economic sanctions from Western nations. Foreign shareholders will be unable to sell shares — a restriction Russia put in place to counter Western sanctions against its financial system and the weakening ruble.
For more on this story: Russian stocks gain as Moscow Exchange resumes trading
Where refugees are heading after fleeing Ukraine. (Fox News)
The United Nations Children's Fund said Thursday that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has now displaced 4.3 million children -- more than half of the country's estimated child population of 7.5 million.
“The war has caused one of the fastest largescale displacements of children since World War II,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement. “This is a grim milestone that could have lasting consequences for generations to come. Children’s safety, wellbeing and access to essential services are all under threat from non-stop horrific violence.”
UNICEF says the 4.3 million figure includes about 1.8 million children who have fled Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24, while 2.5 million are believed to be internally displaced in Ukraine.
Overall, the U.N. estimates that around 3.7 million people have fled Ukraine because of the violence.
(Brendan Smialowski, Pool via AP)
First row from right, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, U.S. President Joe Biden, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and leaders of the US-led military alliance, pose for a family photo at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Thursday.
President Joe Biden, left, talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and Briitish Prime Minister Boris Johnson, right, as they arrive at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski, Pool via AP)
The U.K. announced 65 new sanctions on Russia Thursday morning, targeting banks, business elites and industries helping finance President Putin's war in Ukraine.
The companies include Russian Railways, Kronshtadt, which is the main producer of Russian drones and The Wagner Group, which was reportedly tasked with assassinating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Six Russian banks were also sanctioned along with billionaire oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler, founder of Tinkoff bank Oleg Tinkov, Herman Gref, the CEO of Russia’s largest bank Sberbank, and Polina Kovaleva, Foreign Minister Lavrov’s step daughter. Galina Danilchenko, who was installed by Russia as the ‘mayor’ of Melitopol is also sanctioned, the government said.
"These oligarchs, businesses and hired thugs are complicit in the murder of innocent civilians and it is right that they pay the price," U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement. "Putin should be under no illusions – we are united with our allies and will keep tightening the screw on the Russian economy to help ensure he fails in Ukraine. There will be no let-up”.
After arriving in Brussels, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, "Putin has already crossed a red line into barbarism," adding that NATO must "see what more we can do to help the people of Ukraine to protect themselves... to tighten the economic vice around the Putin regime," BBC News reported.
In the opening moments of its emergency summit Thursday morning, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said its sole purpose is to address Russia's war in Ukraine.
Ukraine's Navy claimed to have "destroyed" a Russian vessel on Thursday morning in the port of Berdyansk on the Black Sea southwest of Mariupol.
"A large paratroop ship ‘Orsk’ of the black sea fleet of occupiers was destroyed in the occupied Russian port Berdyansk," the country's Navy announced on Facebook. "Glory to Ukraine!"
"The occupiers are burning well," the Armed Forces of Ukraine wrote on Twitter.
While Russia has superior forces in Ukraine, the defenders have put up a surprisingly strong resistance, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has maintained that his besieged country will prove triumphant in the war.
Click here to read more on Fox News.
The U.S. Army's Special Forces, better known as Green Berets, have had a deep impact on Ukraine's fight to defend itself from a Russian invasion, despite not being directly involved in the conflict.
"Ukraine was taken very seriously by Special Forces," retired Green Beret Sergeant Major Martin Moore told Fox News Digital. After Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, a move that faced minimal resistance, the Ukrainian military began an effort to modernize its forces to prepare for possible further Russian incursions into the country.
The U.S. military also quickly stepped in to help, with the Army's Green Berets taking on a critical role in training Ukrainian forces.
Click here to read more on Fox News.
U.S. President Joe Biden smiles as he is greeted by Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, left, on arrival at Melsbroek military airport in Brussels, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Western leaders are arriving in Brussels for Thursday's summits taking place at NATO and EU headquarters where they will seek to highlight their sense of unity in the face of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)
After arriving in Brussels late Wednesday, President Biden will attend an emergency NATO summit, a G7 gathering and a summit of the European Union. He plans to urge allies to impose new sanctions on Russia.
“what we would like to hear is that the resolve and unity that we’ve seen for the past month will endure for as long as it takes," national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Air Force One.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels, “We need to do more, and therefore we need to invest more. There is a new sense of urgency and I expect that the leaders will agree to accelerate the investments in defense."
Biden is scheduled to travel to Poland on Friday, where questions about the refugee crisis and concerns over growing Russian aggression are expected to be at the center of talks with President Andrzej Duda.
Another significant moment could come shortly before Biden returns to Washington on Saturday. The White House said he plans to “deliver remarks on the united efforts of the free world to support the people of Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for its brutal war, and defend a future that is rooted in democratic principles.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to joint eh summit remotely and on Wednesday he said he hoped the leaders “declare that it will fully assist Ukraine to win this war” by supplying any weapons necessary during the summit.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a media conference ahead of a NATO summit at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Western leaders are arriving in Brussels for Thursday's summits taking place at NATO and EU headquarters where they will seek to highlight their sense of unity in the face of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that If Russia used chemical weapons in Ukraine it would "fundamentally change the nature of the conflict."
"It would be a blatant violation of international law, and it will have widespread and severe consequences," he added.
Stoltenberg said he would "not speculate beyond the fact that NATO is always ready to defend, to protect and to react to any type of attack on a NATO-allied country" when asked if chemical weapons were a red line for NATO.
Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said if any European Country agrees to Russian President Vladimir Putin's demands to pay for Russian gas in rubles, "it will be like helping Ukraine with one hand and helping Russians kill Ukrainians with the other. I urge relevant countries to make a wise and responsible choice.
On Wednesday, Putin said "unfriendly" countries would soon be required to pay in Russia's currency, according to Reuters.
Russian diplomat Dmitry Polyanskiy says Moscow has the right to use nuclear weapons if it is threatened by NATO.
"If Russia is provoked by NATO, if Russia is attacked by NATO, why not, we are a nuclear power," Polyanskiy, Russia's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, told Britain's Sky News in an interview published Thursday after he was asked about the prospect.
He said he didn't think it was "right" for Russian President Vladimir Putin to threaten a nuclear attack, "but it's not the right thing to threaten Russia, and to try to interfere. So when you're dealing with a nuclear power, of course, you have to calculate all the possible outcomes of your behavior."
He also dismissed the U.S.' official declaration Wednesday that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine.
"I don't think we're committing war crimes in Ukraine," he told Sky News. "Of course, it's not up to me to assess. I'm not there. You're not there.
He claimed videos of Russian atrocities in Ukraine, like a deadly attack on a Mariupol maternity hospital were "considered fake news." Russia's official line has been to deny the multiple attacks on civilian infrastructure that have been confirmed by the West.
A woman stands in a currency exchange office in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Feb. 25, 2022.
Russia is reopening its stock market for limited trading with heavy restrictions a month after it closed due to plunging shares caused by its invasion of Ukraine.
The exchange is opening to prevent the kind of massive selloff that took place on Feb. 24 in anticipation of crushing financial and economic sanctions from Western nations but will have limited relevance for traders outside of Russia.
Hundreds of international companies have pulled out of Russia.
Under the restrictions in place, foreign shareholders will be unable to sell shares — a rule imposed to counter Western sanctions against Russia's weakening financial system and currency.
Moscow's stock exchange, with a market capitalization of $773 billion at the end of last year is dwarfed by the New York Stock Exchange, where the total of all equities is roughly $28 trillion.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The U.S. State Department said Russia has listed a number of its diplomats in Moscow as "persona non grata" and is in the process of having them expelled from the embassy.
The Russian foreign ministry on Monday said it was close to severing diplomatic relations with the U.S. - an unprecedented move - after complaining to U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan about President Biden's characterization of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal."
The State Department called Wednesday’s move “Russia’s latest unhelpful and unproductive step” in relations between the countries. It urged Russia “to end its unjustified expulsions of U.S. diplomats and staff.”
Several U.S. diplomats have already been expelled from the embassy. The U.S. has also removed 12 Russian United Nations representatives based in New York.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy details President Biden's arrival in Brussels to meet with NATO leaders on 'Special Report.'
Secretary of Defense Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Milley have attempted reaching out to top Russian military leaders but have so far been ignored, according to reporting from the Washington Post.
American military leaders have been attempting to open up channels of communication in order to avoid any potential miscalculations that could lead to an escalation of the conflict, though those calls have gone unanswered by their Russian counterparts.
China was the only country to join Russia in the UN Security Council, voting for a Russian draft resolution declaring a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Russia and China were the only two countries to vote in favor of the Russian-led effort, with the 13 other countries abstaining from the vote.
The draft resolution faced criticism because it did not mention Russia's involvement in the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
Click here for Wednesday's live coverage.
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