Ukraine crisis: UK to 'respond decisively' as Boris Johnson 'appalled' by Russian invasion

The prime minister has joined world leaders in condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine as he states that Vladimir Putin has 'chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction'.

The news comes as Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law, while Russia's military stated it had targeted Ukrainian air bases and other military assets but had not targeted populated areas.

Boris Johnson took to Twitter to share a statement on the matter.

He said: ‘I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to to discuss next steps. President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

‘The UK and our allies will respond decisively.’

A Downing Street spokesperson said that the prime minister will chair a Cobra committee meeting this morning to discuss the response to the 'horrific attacks'.

The spokesperson added that the prime minister ‘would not stand by as President Putin waged his campaign against the Ukrainian people’.

President Putin declared the 'special military operation’ in Ukraine's Donbas region during a televised address early this morning (February 24), saying the move was a response to threats from Ukraine.

He said Russia does not have a goal to occupy Ukraine, but the responsibility for bloodshed lies with the Ukrainian ‘regime’ as he warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to ‘consequences they have never seen.’

President Putin added that Ukrainian people would be able 'to choose freely' who ran the country and that Ukrainian soldiers in the combat zone in eastern Ukraine needed to lay down their weapons and return home.

SEE ALSO: What is NATO?

Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, has called an emergency meeting of the North Atlantic Council this morning.

A press conference is expected to be held in Brussels at 12pm local time.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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