We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine: Biden

US President Joe Biden said Thursday in a series of tweets that Washington will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine.

“We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Biden tweeted.

Biden said in his tweet that Ukraine’s Volodymyr President Zelensky reached out to him to discuss the situation.

“I condemned this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. I briefed him on the steps we are taking to rally international condemnation, including tonight at the UN Security Council,” Biden tweeted.

Biden said that Zelensky asked him to call on the leaders of the world to speak out clearly against President Vladimir Putin’s flagrant aggression, and to stand with the people of Ukraine.

“Tomorrow, I will be meeting with the Leaders of the G7, and the United States and our Allies and partners will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia,” Biden tweeted.

His comments come after Putin authorised a military operation in eastern Ukraine on Thursday in what appeared to be the start of war in Europe over Russia’s demands for an end to NATO’s eastward expansion.

Shortly after Putin spoke in a special televised address on Russian state TV, explosions could be heard in the pre-dawn quiet of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, Reuters reported. Gunfire rattled near the capital’s main airport, the Interfax news agency said.

Putin said he had ordered Russian forces to protect the people and demanded Ukrainian forces lay down their arms.

“All responsibility for bloodshed will be on the conscience of the ruling regime in Ukraine,” Putin said.