Tokyo, May 24 -- United States President Joe Biden Tuesday came down heavily upon Russia at the start of the Quad Leaders' Summit saying Russia's Ukraine war is not merely a European but "a global issue and Russia is trying to extinguish a culture hitting schools and museums."

Biden also termed Russia's invasion on Ukraine "a dark hour in our shared history."

"At the same we are navigating a dark hour in our shared history. Russia's brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe.

"And innocent civilians are put into the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as exiled," he said.

Biden went on to say that "as long as Russia continues this war we are going to be partners and...