February 22, 2022 Ukraine-Russia crisis news

By Maureen Chowdhury, Aditi Sangal, Meg Wagner, Melissa Macaya, Jessie Yeung, Brad Lendon, Rob Picheta and Jeevan Ravindran, CNN

Updated 12:02 a.m. ET, February 23, 2022

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9:29 a.m. ET, February 22, 2022

EU will impose sanctions on Russia, says French foreign minister

From CNN’s Joseph Ataman in Paris

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian speaks at an event in Paris, France, on February 22. (Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images)

The European Union will impose sanctions on Moscow following the “unacceptable” entry of Russian troops into the Donbas region of Ukraine, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday.

“Obviously we are going to initiate sanctions,” Le Drian said ahead of a meeting of European foreign ministers in Paris.

“It’s a violation of international law, it’s an attack on the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine, it’s Russia renouncing its international commitments and the Minsk accords that it had signed," Le Drian said. "So the situation is very serious.”

He added that European leaders had three messages to convey — taking a firm stance against Russia's actions, showing solidarity with Ukraine, and showing unity in Europe.

EU High Representative Joseph Borrell said Tuesday morning that he had called an emergency informal meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss Ukraine following a planned summit.

3:24 a.m. ET, February 22, 2022

European markets fall at open on escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia

European markets have fallen sharply in the opening minutes of trade as the crisis in Ukraine intensifies. The German Dax and the French Cac 40 were both trading around 2% lower in early trade, while the UK FTSE 100 was around 1% down.

The falls follow a sharp sell-off in Asian markets on Tuesday. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 1.9%, and Korea's Kospi lost 1.4%.

China's Shanghai Composite and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 were both down more than 1%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 3.2%, poised to post the biggest daily loss in five months. New concerns over China's tech crackdown further dented the sentiment in Asia.

The plunge in Asia was preceded by a similar drop for US stock futures earlier on Monday evening local time. Dow futures were down 458 points, or 1.4%. S&P 500 futures were down about 2.3%, while Nasdaq futures were down 3.3%.

9:28 a.m. ET, February 22, 2022

European Union will decide on sanctions against Russia "this afternoon," says high representative

From CNN’s Joseph Ataman in Paris and Pierre Bairin in Brussels

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell attends the Indo-Pacific Ministerial Cooperation Forum as part of the French EU Council Presidency in Paris, France, on February 22. (Christophe Archambaul/AFP/Getty Images)

The European Union will decide on what sanctions to impose on Russia “this afternoon,” EU High Representative Joseph Borrell told reporters on Tuesday.

Borrell said he has called for an emergency informal meeting of European Union foreign ministers this afternoon to discuss the European response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ordering Russian troops into two separatist pro-Moscow regions in eastern Ukraine after recognizing their independence on Monday.

“Obviously this response will take the form of sanctions,” Borrell said, “We must act quickly, and that means this afternoon.”

“I wouldn’t say that this is a fully-fledged invasion but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil,” he added.

3:05 a.m. ET, February 22, 2022

China's foreign minister says Beijing is "concerned" about the escalating Ukraine situation

From CNN’s Yong Xiong

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed "concern" about the situation in Ukraine in a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to a statement Tuesday from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“China is concerned about (the) evolution of situation in Ukraine,” and the “legitimate security concerns of any country should be respected,” Wang said during the call.

“The purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld,” Wang said, adding that the situation in Ukraine is "closely related to the delay" in implementing the Minsk agreement, referring to a 2015 set of protocols designed to end conflict in eastern Ukraine but which have never been been fully implemented.

China urged all parties to "exercise restraint, recognize the importance of implementing the principle of indivisible security, ease the situation and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation,” Wang said, according to the statement.

He added that China will continue its contact with "all parties based on the merits of the matter."

The China-Russia friendship: Beijing is navigating a complex position as it attempts to balance deepening ties with Moscow with its practiced foreign policy of staunchly defending state sovereignty.

Though not military allies, China and Russia have been presenting an increasingly united front in the face of what they view as Western interference into their respective affairs and regions.

Read more:

As the West condemns Russia over Ukraine, Beijing strikes a different tone

2:38 a.m. ET, February 22, 2022

Ukraine's defense minister: "We remain confident and calm"

From CNN's Akanksha Sharma

Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov holds a briefing in Kyiv on Feb. 3. (Volodymyr Tarasov/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing/Getty Images)

Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov said early Tuesday that “we remain confident and calm,” following Russia’s move to order troops into two separatist pro-Moscow regions in eastern Ukraine.

In a tweet early Tuesday on his official account, Reznikov added that by recognizing the two regions as independent on Monday, the “Kremlin recognized its own aggression against Ukraine.”

"We are ready and able to defend ourselves and our sovereignty," he added.

2:32 a.m. ET, February 22, 2022

Finland warns Russia's actions are "a serious breach" of Minsk agreements

From CNN's Stephanie Halasz in London

In a statement Monday, Finland President Sauli Niinistö condemned Russia's move to order troops into two separatist-held pro-Moscow regions of eastern Ukraine.

Russia's actions "violate Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," said the statement from the president's office, adding that it marked “a serious breach of the Minsk agreements."

What is the Minsk agreement? The 2015 agreement was hammered out in the Belarusian capital in a bid to end what was then a bloody 10-month conflict in eastern Ukraine. It led to a shaky ceasefire, and the conflict settled into static warfare along the Line of Contact that separates the Ukrainian government and separatist-controlled areas.

The agreement bans heavy weapons near the Line of Contact -- but it was never fully implemented and key issues remain unresolved.

1:35 a.m. ET, February 22, 2022

European Council president reiterates support in call to Ukrainian President

From CNN's Akanksha Sharma in Hong Kong

President of the European Council Charles Michel speaks at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 20. (Michael Probst/AP)

European Council President Charles Michel said early Tuesday that he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and reiterated “the EU’s full solidarity with Ukraine.”

Russia's recognition of two separatist pro-Moscow regions in Ukraine and its order for troops to enter those areas is “an attack against international law and the rules-based international order,” Michel said in a tweet.

He added that the European Union “firmly and fully supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity.”

In an earlier tweet on Monday, Michel had asserted that the EU and its partners would "react with unity, firmness and determination in solidarity.”

1:31 a.m. ET, February 22, 2022

Estonia and Latvia condemn Russia’s move in eastern Ukraine

From CNN's Teele Rebane and Akanksha Sharma in Hong Kong

Estonia and Latvia have condemned Russia’s move to recognize pro-Moscow regions of Ukraine and order its troops there.

"Moscow is not serious about diplomacy," tweeted Estonian President Alar Karis from his official account on Monday.

He warned that Russia was looking for reasons to provoke or justify a war, adding that “Estonia will never accept the illegal decision by Russia to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk regions.”

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas described Russia's actions as a "grave attack on Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity” in a Facebook post and called for the EU to impose sanctions.

Latvia's leaders spoke out as well, with President Egils Levits calling Russia's actions "a gross violation of norms of international law" in a tweet Monday. He, too, called for "immediate sanctions" from the EU against Russia.

A statement from the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared the country's "unwavering support for Ukraine’s freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity."

1:28 a.m. ET, February 22, 2022

Kenyan ambassador to the UN highlights legacy of imperialism, warns against "dangerous nostalgia"

Kenya's ambassador to the UN condemned Russia's actions at the emergency United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday, highlighting the legacy of imperialism and colonialism in Africa.

"Kenya, and almost every African country, was birthed by the ending of empire," said Martin Kimani in his statement. "At independence, had we chosen to pursue states on the basis of ethnic, racial or religious homogeneity, we would still be waging bloody wars these many decades later."
"Instead we agreed that we would settle for the borders we inherited ... Rather than form nations that looked ever backward into history with a dangerous nostalgia, we chose to look forward to a greatness none of our many nations or peoples had ever known."

He added that while it is understandable for states formed from collapsed empires to yearn for "integration with peoples in neighboring states," such a yearning must never be "pursued by force."

"Multiculturalism lies on its deathbed tonight," he concluded, reiterating Kenya's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity.