NEW DELHI, 02 March 2022, (TON): Sources have said “the Indian embassy in Ukraine's capital Kyiv has shut down and the Ambassador and the staff are on their way to the western part of the country.”

India has been advising students and others to move to the western borders, a process that has been extremely challenging given the security situation.

The embassy in Kyiv shut down after it did its best to ensure there are no Indians left in the city. Satellite imagery indicates that the city imminently faces a large incoming Russian invasion force.

The government said all Indians have left Kyiv, where a massive Russian bombardment is expected tomorrow.

Sources said “the Indian embassy would likely be relocated to western Ukraine's Lviv now, for which office space has been identified.”

The embassy staff are on the road to western Ukraine and communication with them is spotty.

DHAKA, 02 March 2022, (TON): The Asian Development Bank and the government of Bangladesh signed a loan agreement for $157 million to mitigate flood and riverbank erosion risks in Bangladesh.

The funding will also strengthen climate resilience through structural and nonstructural interventions, and promote knowledge-based solutions along the Jamuna, Padma, and Ganges rivers in central Bangladesh.

The government of the Netherlands will provide $17.89 million in technical assistance grant, to be administered by ADB, to help finance the second tranche of the program, and promote innovations, and capacity building.

The loan from the second and final tranche of the Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Investment Program (FRERMIP) was approved in 2014.

A press release said “Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, and Edimon Ginting, Country Director, ADB, signed the loan and grant agreements on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB, respectively.”

DHAKA, 02 March 2022, (TON): Newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas arrived Bangladesh.

According to the US embassy here “he most recently served as US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.”

Haas was the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Economic Affairs who previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

Haas has also served as charg, d'affaires and Deputy Permanent Representative at the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the US Consul General in Mumbai, India, and Economic Counselor at the US Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.

KYIV, 01 March 2022, (TON): An embattled Ukraine moved to solidify its bond with the West by applying to join the European Union, while the first round of Ukraine-Russia talks aimed at ending the fighting concluded with no deal but an agreement to keep talking.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted photos of himself signing the EU application, a largely symbolic move that could take years to become reality and is unlikely to sit well with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long accused the West of trying to pull Ukraine into its orbit.

A top Zelenskyy adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said “the talks held near the Ukraine-Belarus border, were focused on a possible cease-fire and that a second round could take place in the near future.”

A top Putin aide and head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said that the discussions lasted nearly five hours and that the envoys “found certain points on which common positions could be foreseen.”

He said they agreed to continue the talks in the coming days.

As the discussions wrapped up, several blasts could be heard in Kyiv, though no details were immediately known.

According to a senior US defense official “Russian troops, who are attacking Ukraine on multiple fronts, were advancing slowly on the capital city of 3 nearly million people and were about 25 kilometers from the city center.”

WASHINGTON, 01 March 2022, (TON): Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State has said that he spoke this morning with Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi and our G-7 counterparts, and, together, we reaffirmed that we have never been more fully aligned across the globe to defend and preserve the freedom and sovereignty of Ukraine and all states.

We stand resolutely together against Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack.

Japan’s announcement of comprehensive financial sanctions to isolate Russia from the international financial system demonstrates the unity and resolve of the United States, Japan, and other G-7 partners to stop Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

These actions will deny selected Russian banks access to the global SWIFT financial messaging system, impose restrictions on the Bank of Russia, and sanction key Russian leaders, including President Putin. 

GENEVA, 01 March 2022, (TON): President of the Confederation Ignazio Cassis said at a press conference “Switzerland joins the decisions of the European Union and from Monday imposes sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Min-ister Mikhail Mishustin, and Russian Foreign Mini-ster Sergei Lavrov.”

Cassis said “in connection with the ongoing Russian military intervention in Ukraine, the Federal Council decided on February 28 to approve the sanctions packages imposed by the EU on February 23 and 25.”

According to him, Switzerland has imposed financial sanctions against Putin, Mishustin, Lavrov, they come into force immediately.

Russia launched a military operation to demilitarize Ukraine early in the morning, February 24.

In a televised address to the Russians, President Vladimir Putin said that circumstances “require decisive and immediate action from us, the people’s republics of Donbass have asked for help.”

LONDON, 01 March 2022, (TON): Following already announced sanctions measures aimed at imposing severe consequences on Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian economy, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in coordination with the Governor of the Bank of England, announces the UK Government’s intention to take further restrictive economic measures in response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia by targeting the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.

This action is taken in concert with the US and the European Union, to prevent the CBR from deploying its foreign reserves in ways that undermine the impact of sanctions imposed by us and our allies, and to undercut its ability to engage in foreign exchange transactions to support the Russian rouble.

The UK Government will immediately take all necessary steps to bring into effect restrictions to prohibit any UK natural or legal persons from undertaking financial transactions involving the CBR, the Russian National Wealth Fund, and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.

The UK Government intends to make further related designations this week, working alongside our international partners.

The Chancellor said “these measures demonstrate our determination to apply severe economic sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

We are announcing this action in rapid coordination with our US and European allies to move in lock step once more with our international partners, to demonstrate our steadfast resolve in imposing the highest costs on Russia and to cut her off from the international financial system so long as this conflict persists.

WASHINGTON, 01 March 2022, (TON): Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. 

Secretary Blinken strongly condemned Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine and expressed his unwavering solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

The Secretary also celebrated the 30-year anniversaries of bilateral relations between the United States and the countries of Central Asia. 

RIYADH, 01 March 2022, (TON): Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his French counterpart in Paris.

Saudi Press Agency reported “during the meeting, Prince Faisal and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reviewed the frameworks of Saudi-French relations and ways to strengthen them in various fields to serve the interests of their countries.”

The two ministers reviewed the most important regional and international developments, and efforts made to support security and stability resulting from the importance that both countries place on continuing consultation and exchanging views on developments in the world.

They also discussed the latest developments in Yemen, stressing the importance of supporting efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in the country, including the efforts of UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg, based on the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiativ.

Le Drian affirmed France's full support for the Saudi peace initiative which was announced in March 2021.

He also unequivocally condemned Houthi cross-border attacks.

WASHINGTON, 01 March 2022, (TON): United States joined the UN Human Rights Council at the Council’s 49th regular session.  The U.S. return to that body fulfills a pledge made by President Biden and reflects the centrality of human rights to our nation’s foreign policy.

The timing of this session could not be more appropriate.

Since the opening moments of Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine, reports of human rights abuses have been widespread. 

Let there be no confusion “ Russia attacked Ukraine because Ukraine dared to pursue a democratic path.  Russia’s invasion has damaged and destroyed schools, hospitals, radio stations, and homes, killing and injuring civilians, including children.”

On March 1, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will deliver remarks to the assembled Council and will use that opportunity to spell out clearly the threat posed by Russia, while noting that Ukraine is far from the only part of the world where the Council’s attention is needed.

Events in Ukraine only underscore the crucial importance of a credible human rights body dedicated to promoting the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and documenting human rights violations and abuses.