NEW DELHI, 24 February 2022, (TON): Amid the latest flare-up in the Ukraine crisis, Russia said “while the sanctions imposed by the West will lead to fear and mistrust affecting, among other things, the international banking system, Moscow will look forward to go ahead with the implementation of its "big plans" in defence with India as the only country, which is honest in sharing the technology with it.”

India has so far not condemned Russia's actions and foreign minister S Jaishankar, while participating in a panel discussion in Paris, said “a lot of what's happening on the Ukraine issue is derived from Nato expansion, along with post Soviet politics and Russia-West dynamics.”

At the EU Indo-Pacific ministerial hosted by France, Jaishankar sought to focus on the challenge posed by China to the "global commons" even as others like Japanese foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi slammed Russia for what the West sees as the country's military adventurism against Ukraine.

While claiming that Moscow's actions in recognising Ukraine's breakaway regions are in line with international law, Russian charge d'affaires Roman Babushkin said India is playing a vital role of a global power in the Security Council and its activities fully reflect the "merit" of India-Russia strategic partnership.

NEW DELHI, 24 February 2022, (TON): External affairs Minister S Jaishankar said “the situation in Ukraine has its roots in post-Soviet politics, the expansion of Nato and the dynamics between Russia and Europe.”

He said amid escalating tension between Moscow and the West after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway Ukrainian regions as independent states.

In an interactive session at a think-tank in Paris, he said that the world today is in the midst of multiple crises and these developments have generated new challenges to the international order.

Separately in an interview published in French daily Le Figaro, Jaishankar said "the situation in Ukraine is the result of a complex chain of circumstances over the last 30 years. Most countries, such as India and France, which are very active, are seeking a diplomatic solution."

Jaishankar said "the real question is: are you mobilised to find a good solution or are you content with posturing? India can talk with Russia, with other countries, within the UN security council and support initiatives like those of France.”

NEW YORK, 23 February 2022, (TON): A major conflict between Russia and Ukraine must be prevented at all costs, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo has told an emergency session of the Security Council.

Briefing the council late on Monday, DiCarlo voiced concern over the intensifying shelling in Donetsk and Luhansk which followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to send Russian troops into the two separatist pro-Moscow regions in the east of the country.

Artillery fire has led to a number of casualties, as well as the targeting of civilian infrastructure and mass evacuations.

Reminding Security Council members of their responsibilities under international humanitarian law, DiCarlo called for an immediate halt to hostilities, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and an end to inflammatory rhetoric.

The UN official described the coming hours and days as critical, and reiterated the UN’s commitment to stay and deliver, and remain fully operational in Ukraine, including in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Russia’s troop deployment into eastern Ukraine followed a decision to recognize the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent states.

Describing the deployment as a peacekeeping mission, Putin said that the move should have been made a long time ago.

LONDON, 23 February 2022, (TON): Thank you Mr Speaker “with permission I will make a statement about the situation in Ukraine.”

Last night, President Putin flagrantly violated the Minsk peace agreements by recognising the supposed independence of the so-called People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

In a single inflammatory speech, he denied that Ukraine had any tradition of genuine statehood, claimed that it posed a direct threat to the security of Russia and hurled numerous other false accusations and aspersions.

Soon afterwards, the Kremlin announced that Russian troops would enter the breakaway regions under the guise of peacekeepers, and Russian tanks and armoured personnel carriers have since been spotted.

The House should be in no doubt that the deployment of these forces in sovereign Ukrainian territory amounts to a renewed invasion of that country.

And by denying Ukraine’s legitimacy as a state – and presenting its very existence as a mortal threat to Russia – Putin is establishing the pretext for a full-scale offensive.

CAIRO, 23 February 2022, (TON): President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi affirmed Egypt’s keenness on the stability and security of Kuwait and all the Gulf states in the face of internal and regional challenges, as an integral part of the Egyptian national security.

Egyptian Presidency Spokesman Bassam Rady said “speaking during a meeting with Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, El-Sisi said his country was also keen to strengthen and diversify the frameworks of joint bilateral cooperation in the political, security, economic and commercial fields.”

Sheikh Nawaf expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s efforts in support of Kuwaiti affairs at all levels, as well as the Egyptian community’s contribution to the construction and development process in Kuwait in various fields.

He said in the coming period, Kuwait will increase investments in Egypt and exploit the opportunities available there, and praised Cairo’s role in strengthening the mechanisms of joint Arab action in facing the current crises and challenges in the region.

Rady said the meeting discussed a number of Arab and regional issues of common interest, as well as developing Egyptian-Kuwaiti cooperation, especially in light of the upcoming 13th session of the Egyptian-Kuwaiti joint committee in Cairo and the joint consular committee between the two countries.

BRUSSELS, 23 February 2022, (TON): The decision of the Russian Federation to recognise as independent entities and send Russian troops to certain areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts is illegal and unacceptable.

It violates international law, Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Russia’s own international commitments and it further escalates the crisis.

Both Presidents welcome the steadfast unity of Member States and their determination to react with robustness and speed to the illegal actions of Russia in close coordination with international partners.

An informal meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers chaired by the High Representative will take place today at 4 pm.

Following that a first package of sanctions will be formally tabled later this afternoon.

Appropriate bodies will then meet to finalise the package without delay.

LONDON, 23 February 2022, (TON): The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has summoned the Russian Ambassador, Andrey Kelin, to register the UK’s formal protest with the Russian Federation.

An FCDO Spokesperson said “the UK has urged Russia to explain its recognition of the so-called ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic’ and the movement of military forces into Ukraine.”

We have summoned the Ambassador today to stress that such actions are a violation of international law.

The UK reiterates its unshakeable commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Ukraine, and insists that Russia immediately withdraw all of its military forces.

We made clear to the Russian Ambassador that Russia would pay the price for its actions through further sanctions if it did not withdraw its troops.

The Foreign Secretary instructed Sir Philip Barton, Permanent Under-Secretary for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to summon the Ambassador.

KYIV, 23 February 2022, (TON): Western allies of Ukraine have spoken out against Putin’s decision to deploy troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine after recognizing them as independent .

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his country would immediately impose hard economic sanctions on Russia.

Johnson told media “we will immediately institute a package of economic sanctions.”

The sanctions, he said, would be “targeted not just at entities in Donbass and Luhansk and Donetsk, but in Russia itself, targeting Russian economic interests as hard as we can.”

Putin will find he has gravely miscalculated if Russia invades Ukraine, Johnson said, adding that Moscow appeared to be bent on a full scale invasion.

Johnson chaired a meeting of Britain’s national emergency security committee early.

Johnson told media after the meeting “I think that the tragedy of the present situation is that President Putin has surrounded himself with like-minded advisers who tell him that Ukraine is not a proper country. And I think that he is going to find that he has gravely miscalculated.”

Unlike most of its Western neighbors, Italy has historically relatively friendly ties with Putin, backed by strong, long-standing investments by Italian corporations in Russia.

RIYADH, 23 February 2022, (TON): Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met with Columbian Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez in the capital, Bogota, during his official visit to the South American country.

The Kingdom’s foreign ministry said “the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them to more comprehensive levels, and exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues.”

LONDON, 23 February 2022, (TON): Oligarchs at the heart of Putin’s inner circle and banks which have bankrolled the Russian occupation of Crimea have been targeted by the first wave of UK sanctions in response to Russia’s further violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement to the House of Commons, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is today (Tuesday 22 February) designating the initial tranche of sanctions on Russia.

The sanctions package targets oligarchs and banks associated with the Kremlin.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said “this first wave of sanctions will hit oligarchs and banks close to the Kremlin. It sends a clear message that the UK will use our economic heft to inflict pain on Russia and degrade their strategic interests.”

And we are prepared to go much further if Russia does not pull back from the brink. We will curtail the ability of the Russian state and Russian companies to raise funds in our markets, prohibit a range of high tech exports, and further isolate Russian banks from the global economy.

These will be surgically targeted sanctions that will hit Russia hard.