U.S. confronts Russia at the UN over Ukraine

UNSC - Wide view of the Security Council Chamber (file photo). UN Photo - Loey Felipe

The United States and Russia engaged in a public diplomatic brawl Monday at the U.N. Security Council over the Ukraine crisis. Follow our live updates.

“The situation we are facing in Europe is urgent and dangerous,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador. “Russia’s actions strike at the very heart of the U.N. charter.” Russia objected to having the meeting at all, calling it “an attempt to mislead the international community” and an example of “megaphone diplomacy.”

The meeting of 15 nations, requested by the U.S. last week, represented the highest-profile arena for the two powers to sway world opinion over Ukraine. As expected, it adjourned with no action taken.

Where things stand: More than a month of bluster and posturing, menacing military maneuvers and high-level diplomatic meetings have not made the security crisis gripping Europe any easier to assess. A full-scale invasion would be likely to result in fierce fighting and potentially the worst bloodshed on the continent since the end of World War II.

On the ground: A wave of bomb threats across Ukraine has intensified an already anxious mood. - The New York Times