Nato

The US and EU failed to anticipate President Putin’s response to events in Ukraine. But as Andrew Wood writes, the west can benefit from the situation – provided it is firm and sticks together.

Channel 4 News debates the response to Ukraine’s crisis with writer Anne Applebaum, ex-Kremlin adviser Alexander Nekrassov, former US adviser James Jeffrey and ex-foreign secretary Malcolm Rifkind.

The number of refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war has topped two million, the UN’s refugee agency says, in what it is calling the “great tragedy of this century”.

President Barack Obama says he is confident that congress will vote in favour of military action and that the US will “degrade” President Bashar al-Assad’s capabilities.

President Obama is coming under increasing pressure to recall Congress to debate military action. Americans are following the discussion in parliament here, Jonathan Miller reports from Washington.

The Government motion to support military intervention in Syria was defeated by 285 to 272 votes tonight.

The UK has drafted a resolution and is seeking the backing of the UN Security Council for “all necessary measures to protect civilians” in Syria, said David Cameron.

David Cameron recalls parliament to debate the UK’s response to the situation in Syria and the army draws up contingency plans, in the wake of last week’s alleged chemical weapons attack in Damascus.

Britain and the US have been moved to strong words against last week’s suspected use of chemical weapons in Syria, but what should be their objectives if pushed into military action?