WASHINGTON — Russia faced mounting pressure and economic sanctions on Wednesday over the Ukraine crisis, as the United States and allies coordinated punishments and denounced the beginning of an “invasion of Ukraine.”
After the United States and others imposed penalties, Australia, Canada and Japan joined in similar efforts to thwart the Kremlin’s advances, with Western officials confirming that Russian forces had begun crossing the Ukrainian border. In less than a day, nations have halted a key natural gas pipeline for Russia, limited its access to global financing and hampered the country’s elite.
With their condemnations, global leaders sent the same message: Russia was violating international law and the sovereignty of Ukraine.
“Australians always stand up to bullies, and we will be standing up to Russia,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia said while announcing sanctions on Wednesday.
In rolling out penalties, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada called Russia’s actions “a threat to the security and stability of the region and the international rules-based order.”
The global response began early on Tuesday, just hours after President Vladimir V. Putin recognized the self-declared separatist states in eastern Ukraine and Russian forces started rolling into their territory, according to NATO, European Union and White House officials. It was the first major deployment of Russian troops across the internationally recognized border since the current crisis began.
As Russian has ramped up its military preparations, President Biden has been resolute that Mr. Putin will face severe consequences for his actions, which Russian state media has portrayed as a rightful response to American aggression.
“Who in the Lord’s name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbors?” Mr. Biden said on Tuesday.
Mr. Biden warned Mr. Putin that more penalties would follow if the Russian leader did not withdraw his forces and engage in diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.
But that prospect is growing increasingly dim, as Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken canceled plans to meet with the Russian foreign minister on Thursday, saying that it does not “make sense” to hold talks while Russian forces are on the move.
“To put it simply, Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine,” Mr. Biden said, adding, “He’s setting up a rationale to take more territory by force.”
