Tanks & troops spotted in the area
The EU, United States and the UK are expected to announce a significant package of sanctions on Russia today.
It's after Moscow formally recognised two separatist regions in Ukraine as independent.
The German Chancellor has confirmed he is halting approval of the Nordstream 2 gas pipeline to Russia, at a press conference with the Taoiseach.
Olaf Scholz is meeting Micheál Martin in Berlin this afternoon to discuss the situation in Ukraine, alongside Brexit and European climate policy.
Tanks and troops have reportedly been spotted in one of the two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine.
The Taoiseach is among the world leaders who have expressed solidarity with Ukraine, and criticised the Kremlin for breaching international law.
Vladimir Putin used a televised address to make the announcement:
The Taoiseach said the EU will have to respond:
Ukraine may break off diplomatic relations with Moscow.
In a briefing this morning, the country's president Volodimir Zelenskiyy said he was considering a request from his foreign minister to cut ties with the Kremlin.
The Taoiseach
Minister Simon Coveney says that while diplomacy needs to continue, Russia is clearly in breach of international law and the west must act to help Ukraine:
The UK's assessment is that a Russian invasion of Ukraine has begun.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is chairing an emergency meeting this morning at which sanctions will be agreed.
British Health Secretary, Savid Javid, says Europe is waking up to a "very dark day":
An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council has denounced Russia's recognition of two rebel-held areas of Ukraine as a "pretext for war".
Putin described the troops being sent into the area as "peacekeepers" - which western governments have called "nonsense".
US representative to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the meeting that Putin's justifications cannot be trusted:
Cormac Smyth - an advisor to Ukraine's former Foreign Minister - says the west needs to act in a strong and united way:
Sky reporter Deborah Haynes is in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev and says the rest of the country is looking on in horror:
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