AUD/USD skids below 0.7200 as Asian stocks bleed, geopolitics eyed

• AUD/USD has slipped below 0.7200 amid escalation in geopolitical tensions.
• The risk-off impulse has underpinned the greenback against the antipodean.
• NATO has officially announced that an official war has just begun.

The AUD/USD pair has slipped below 0.7200 amid escalation in the Russia-Ukraine imminent war, which has set a negative tone for the market. This has hammered the antipodeans and has improved the appeal for safe-haven assets.

The market sentiments have been dented hard on Thursday after the Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine have called for support from the Russian leader Vladimir Putin, which is clearly indicating the deployment of Russian troops in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Adding to that, the Russian Federation Council has approved Putin to deploy "peacekeepers" in the regions of Donbas.

Meanwhile, NATO has officially announced that an official invasion of Ukraine has begun, as per Reuters. Not only this will pressure the risk-perceived assets but also the central banks would be forced to come forward with tightening monetary policy to contain the expected jump in inflation.

Also, Reuters has reported that the Emergency meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council has begun at the request of Ukraine. However, the odds of de-escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war seem poor.

The US dollar index (DXY) has been underpinned by investors and the index is not very far from claiming 97.00. The risk-off impulse has brought a juggernaut rally in the greenback, which is why the Aussie has failed to find the grounds.

Other than the headlines from the Russia-Ukraine war, investors will keep eye on Thursday's US GDP and Initial Jobless Claims.