Members of the United Nations Security Council have called on Russia to pull out its troops out of Ukraine immediately at a meeting that marked 18 months since the start of the invasion.

The Security Council discussed the situation in Ukraine on Thursday -- 32 years after the country won independence from the former Soviet Union.

Japan's Ambassador Ishikane Kimihiro said Japan will continue to support Ukraine. He said Russia should immediately withdraw all its troops and military equipment, and Moscow must respect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Russia has "forcibly transferred or deported" thousands of Ukrainian children since February 2022.

She said the United States has imposed sanctions on two entities and 11 individuals, including those reportedly responsible for the forcible transfers and deportation of Ukrainian children to camps.

The envoy also said the United States "will not stand by as Russia carries out these war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Russia's Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the allegations about Russia's abductions of Ukrainian children are lies and his country is actually saving them.