As Russia announced a military operation in Ukraine early Thursday, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa is unclear whether any Samoans are in those countries.
She said whenever there is a conflict in that part of the globe, there will always be an impact on the stability of fuel as this is area where Samoa gets their supply of fuel.
The CNN reported that Russian forces have begun an attack on Ukraine, with reports of troops crossing the border to the north and south, explosions in multiple cities including the capital Kyiv and Russian President Vladimir Putin warning of bloodshed unless Ukrainian forces lay down their arms.
Reports of military action came as world leaders attempted to avert catastrophe with a meeting of the United Nations Security Council amid warnings that a possible invasion could start the biggest war in Europe since 1945.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky introduced martial law across the country on Thursday, urging citizens to remain calm. Earlier, he said he had tried to call Putin on Wednesday but was unsuccessful.
AP says the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that Russia’s attack on Ukraine — as he appealed for President Vladimir Putin to stop his troops — was “the saddest moment” of his five-year tenure.
The U.N. chief opened the emergency Security Council meeting late Wednesday by urgently appealing to Putin: “In the name of humanity, bring your troops back to Russia.”
But during the meeting, Putin announced that he was launching a “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine.
Guterres later urged the Russian president to withdraw his troops and added: “In the name of humanity do not allow to start in Europe what could be the worst war since the beginning of the century, with consequences not only devastating for Ukraine, not only tragic for the Russian Federation, but with an impact we cannot even foresee in relation to the consequences for the global economy.”
During a press conference with the media earlier today, Prime Minister reiterated the conflict will always have an impact on Samoa and the most “immediate impact” is when the source of the fuel is disrupted when there’s disruption in the transport of fuel supplies.
SOURCE: CNN; AP
