The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has condemned the military invasion of the Republic of Ukraine by Russia which has led to casualties, particularly among civilians.
ECOWAS in a statement said it is following with great concern the military invasion.
It strongly condemned the action and called for “both parties to stop the fight and use dialogue to solve their differences in the interest of peace in this region.”
ECOWAS also called on all parties to ensure the safety of the citizens of all its member states living in Ukraine.
Russian forces began attacking Ukraine early on Thursday morning.
Its President, Vladimir Putin, announced the military operation at dawn despite calls for de-escalation from world leaders.
There have been reports of explosions near major Ukrainian cities, including its capital, Kyiv.
Recent tensions have stemmed from Russia’s opposition to Ukraine’s moves towards European institutions like Nato and the EU.
