LIVE: Obama speaks on Ukraine crisis

President Obama will address the nation Friday morning about the situation in Ukraine, a day after a Malaysia Airlines jet with 298 people onboard was downed in the country’s separatist-held East.

On Thursday, the president offered only brief comments on the incident, telling a crowd in Delaware that “the world is watching” reports of the crash.

{mosads}”It looks like it may be a terrible tragedy,” Obama said. “Right now, we’re working to determine whether there were American citizens onboard. That is our first priority. And I’ve directed my national security team to stay in close contact with the Ukrainian government. The United States will offer any assistance we can to help determine what happened and why.”

Late Thursday night, White House press secretary Josh Earnest called for an immediate cease-fire in eastern Ukraine to allow international investigators access to the crash site.