US President Joe Biden is set to give a statement on the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan amid a growing backlash to his decision to withdraw American troops.
The commander in chief is dashing back from Camp David to the White House, where he is due to address the nation at 8.45pm.
The President faces mounting criticism over the US evacuation from Afghanistan, as the Taliban's lightning advance toppled the Western-backed government.
Militants swept into Kabul on Sunday and pictures of scenes at the city's international airport have emerged with crowds of people desperate to leave the country scrambling to board planes.
Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of people racing across the tarmac as US soldiers fired warning shots in the air.
In a tweet, Mr Biden said: “I will be addressing the nation on Afghanistan at 3.45pm ET today.”
It will be his first public remarks on the Afghanistan situation in nearly a week.
Speaking after an emergency COBRA meeting in the UK, Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab said: “Everyone, I think, has been surprised by the scale and the pace at which the Taliban have taken over in Afghanistan, and that’s a lesson that we’ve all got to learn from.
“But the truth is what matters right now is focusing on getting British nationals out, getting out those who have so loyally served the UK, and making sure that the gains that we’ve made over 20 years are not lost.”
He did not rule out sanctions against Afghanistan, but said Taliban rule in the country was a "new reality".
He said: “It is not what we wanted, but we have to deal with the new reality.
“We’re making it clear with our partners with all the means at our disposal, that we will hold the Taliban to account, to its commitments, to have a new start in Afghanistan.
“It’s clearly not going to be to the values that the UK, the west, the European Union, the Americans believe in, but we can have a moderating influence."
He would not be drawn on how many Afghan refugees the UK would be prepared to accept.
He said: "We are obviously a big-hearted nation, we’ve got the criteria for asylum, that’s set in law, we work with the UN on that. We’re working very carefully on what kind of further commitment we might make.”
Asked whether he could give a figure, he said: “Not at this point.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, raised the alarm at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, in New York, over "chilling" reports of human rights abuses.
He warned the "international community must unite to make sure that Afghanistan is never again used as a platform or safe haven for terrorist organisations", adding: “Afghans are a proud people with a rich cultural heritage.
"They have known generations of war and hardship. They deserve our full support. The following days will be pivotal, the world is watching. We cannot and must not abandon the people of Afghanistan.”
Afghanistan's representative to the Security Council, Ghulam M Isaczai, also spoke at the meeting, telling representatives that the fate of the Afghan people “hangs in the balance”.
He said: “I’m speaking for millions of Afghan girls and women who are about to lose their freedom to go to school, to work, and to participate in the political, economic, and social life of the country.
“I’m speaking for thousands of human rights defenders, journalists, academics, civil servants and former security personnel whose lives are at risk for defending human rights and democracy.
“I’m speaking for thousands of internally displaced people who are desperately in need of shelter, food and protection in Kabul and other places.”
He added: “We’ve witnessed time and again how Taliban have broken their promises and commitments in the past. We have seen gruesome images of Taliban mass executions of military personnel and target killings of civilians in Kandahar and other big cities.
“We cannot allow this to happen in Kabul, which has been the last refuge for many people escaping violence and Taliban’s revenge attacks.”
Mr Isaczai called on the UN to put pressure on the Taliban “to prevent further violence, prevent Afghanistan descending into a civil war and becoming a pariah state”.
He added: “Kabul residents are living in absolute fear right now.”
