Biden-Putin meeting off as tensions rise over Ukraine crisis

A proposed meeting between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin is "certainly not in the plans" anymore, the White House has said following Russia’s recognition of two breakaway states in eastern Ukraine and decision to send troops to the region.

Speaking on Tuesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said tensions over the Ukraine crisis would have to ease before such a meeting between the two leaders took place.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken has also cancelled a meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, which had been planned for Thursday in Geneva, saying no longer makes sense since the US believes a Russian invasion of Ukraine has begun.

The news came following Mr Putin’s decree ordering troops into eastern Ukraine’s separatist-controlled regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, a move which drew worldwide condemnation.

Mr Biden on Tuesday announced a wave of sanctions from the US, backed up by other world powers including the UK, Australia, Canada and Japan, as well as the European Union. These measures include cutting off Russia’s government from Western financing and will affect Russian banks, oligarchs, and the country’s sovereign debt.

Mr Biden told reporters that the Kremlin was "setting up a rationale to take more territory by force" and he suggested that Moscow would "pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression".

He added that Russian troops being ordered to eastern Ukraine marked the "beginning of an invasion".

The US president also said he had authorised the movement of additional troops and equipment to support Nato allies Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Meanwhile, new satellite pictures from space technology company Maxar have revealed a new deployment of 100 military vehicles and dozens of troop tents in southern Belarus near the Ukraine border - which seemingly point to fresh movement from Russia.

Mr Biden has not yet used the full extent of sanction powers available to him. Further measures might include an export ban, that would deny American technology for Russia’s industries and military.

Ukraine said on Wednesday that it would introduce a state of emergency across the country, apart from the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, and called on its citizens to immediately leave Russia, as fears continued that all-out war was imminent.

This development came after Russian legislators on Tuesday approved a request from Mr Putin to use the country’s armed forces abroad, a possible indication that a broader attack on Ukraine might be on the way.

Mr Putin has said that he will put an end to the crisis on three conditions. He called for international recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, an end to Ukraine’s bid for NATO membership, and an end to weapons shipments to his country’s neighbour.