Ukraine's President implores world to help amid shadow of 'new iron curtain'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy says Ukraine was listening to the sound of a new iron curtain falling as Russian troops advanced across his country's territory.

"What we have heard today are not just missile blasts, fighting and the rumble of aircraft. This is the sound of a new iron curtain, which has come down and is closing Russia off from the civilised world," Mr Zelenskiyy said.

"Our national task is to make sure this curtain does not fall across our land."

Amid his fears of a Russian expansionist policy he called on allies to stop Russia's invasion by helping Ukraine with military hardware.

“if you don’t help us now, if you fail to offer strong assistance to Ukraine, tomorrow the war will knock on your door.”

Mr Zelenskiyy said the EU would further come to the Ukraine's aid with a host of tough new sanctions.

The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on Friday on a US-drafted resolution that condemns Russia for invading Ukraine.

It will require Moscow to "immediately, completely, unconditionally," withdraw from Ukraine, a senior US administration official said.
Russia, as one of the five veto-wielding members of the Security Council, will likely veto the resolution, the US official said.

But Washington and others view the council as a critical venue where Moscow must be forced to explain itself, they added.

"We're not going to stand by and do nothing," the official briefing reporters in a call said.

Shortly after those comments Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had no other option but to order what he is still refusing to call an invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Putin also said he believes Russia remains part of the global economy despite a raft of sanctions levelled against his nation and has no plans to damage that system.