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Biden: Leaders navigating 'dark hour' after Ukraine invasion

Biden Asia
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President Joe Biden has warned fellow leaders of the informal Indo-Pacific security coalition, known as the Quad, that they are “navigating through a dark hour in our shared history.”

His warning comes as Russia continues a brutal war on Ukraine. Biden called for greater Indo-Pacific leadership in the effort to stop Russian aggression at the start of a summit Tuesday with the leaders of Australia, India and Japan.

Biden did not directly call out any countries. But his message appeared to be a nudge of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with whom differences persist over how to respond to the Russia.

"The Russian brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe," Biden told the press while sitting alongside Modi, "And the innocent civilians have been killed in the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced, as well as exiled. And this is more than just a European issue, it’s a global issue."

The leaders also said other issues, including COVID-19, cybersecurity and climate change, were also discussed among the group.

Biden's visit with the Quad comes at the end of his first visit to Asia as president.