Before US President Joe Biden’s speech, at the UN General Assembly, Russian president, Vladimir Putin made comments of his own.
At an event to mark the 1,160th year of Russia’s statehood, he said the country would not lose its sovereignty and would not give in to “blackmail and intimidation”.
Western officials would likely argue that they have not threatened the sovereignty of Russia, and it is instead Moscow that is endangering Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Hours after Mr Putin ordered partial mobilization to boost troops in Ukraine, he also lauded the Russian military.
He claimed it was fighting to save people in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, where Moscow has alleged Russian citizens are being persecuted.
But Ukraine has forcefully denied the accusations and has aimed to push Russian forces out of its territory.