invasion

U.N. to Meet Over Ukraine Conflict

Putin says it's necessary to protect ethnic Russians.

Hours after Russia’s parliament granted President Putin's request for permission to use troops in Ukraine, the United Nations met for an emergency session and the U.N. Security Council announced it will hold a closed-door meeting. Putin’s request referred only to the “territory of Ukraine” rather than Crimea specifically, leaving open the possibility that Russia’s military could also move into other regions of Ukraine where people also oppose the new government in Kiev. In his statement to parliament, Putin said the move was necessary to protect ethnic Russians and a Russian military base in Crimea. On Friday, President Barack Obama warned Russia that “there will be costs” if Russia uses its military to intervene in Ukraine.