“We are now deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian federation inside Ukraine,” Obama said.
He referred to reports without mentioning specific US intelligence.
“Russia has an historic relationship with the Ukraine,” Obama acknowledged, noting the Black Sea fleet post in Sevastopol.
However, Obama said, “any violation of Ukrainian sovereignty would be deeply destabilizing.”
“It would present a profound interference in matters that must be decided by the Ukrainian people,” he said, and “it would invite the condemnation of the international community.”
As for what action the United States might take:
“The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any kind of intervention in Ukraine.”
10.09pm GMT
Obama: Ukraine interference 'would be deeply destabilizing'
President Obama is speaking.
He says “any violation of Ukrainian sovereignty would be deeply destabilizing.”
“It would present a profound interference in matters that must be decided by the Ukrainian people,” he said.
Updated at 10.14pm GMT
9.48pm GMT
The United States is “deeply concerned” by “facts on the ground” in Ukraine, US ambassador to the UN Samantha Powers said following an emergency meeting of the UN security council.
Powers said the US is concerned “by what we see as the facts on the ground.” She says the United States is “gravely disturbed by reports of Russian military deployments into the Crimea” but did not mention specific US intelligence.
“The US calls on Russia to pull back the military forces that are being built up in the region,” she said.
“I’m not going to characterize the movements, beyond [to say] we are deeply concerned by these reports,” she said. Powers said the United States had asked for Russia’s help on “getting Ukraine back onto a path to a brighter future.”
