Reactions to the 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis

Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv, and Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia on Wednesday as the region braced for further confrontation after President Vladimir Putin received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with sanctions.

Responding swiftly to Russian President Vladimir Putin's order sending troops to separatist regions of Ukraine, world leaders hit back with non-military actions on Feb. 22 in hopes of averting a full-blown war in Europe.

"The situation in Donbas has become critical again and I am addressing you directly, not only to assess the situation, but also to inform the public about the decisions we have made and about possible further steps," he pointed out.

Russia on Sunday rescinded earlier pledges to pull tens of thousands of its troops back from Ukraine's northern border, a move that U.S. leaders said put Russia another step closer to what they said was the planned invasion of Ukraine.

Residents of Ukraine's capital filled a gold-domed cathedral to pray for peace.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Feb. 15 that he welcomed a security dialogue with the West, and his military reported pulling back some of its troops near Ukraine. But U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. had not verified Russia's claim and that an invasion was still a distinct possibility.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN's Frederick Pleitgen that Russian President Vladimir Putin was "ready to negotiate", saying the crisis in Ukraine was only part of Russia's security concerns.

Biden and Johnson: There is still Hope for a Diplomatic Solution in Ukraine

The leaders of the United States and Britain have said there is still hope for a diplomatic solution to the crisis with Ukraine. However, Joe Biden and Boris Johnson warned that the situation remained unpredictable.

 Americans are Advised to leave Belarus and Moldova

The Kremlin and the West held out the possibility of a diplomatic path out of the Ukraine crisis, even as Russia appeared to continue preparations for a potential invasion, including moving troops military hardware closer to its neighbor.

The Bulgarian authorities are ready to evacuate our compatriots from Ukraine. Crisis headquarters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is monitoring the situation in and around the country.

Turkey on Feb. 12 issued a travel warning for eastern Ukraine and called on its citizens to avoid visiting the region.

Turkey closely follows the security situation in Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement.