The G20 foreign ministers' meeting saw no joint communique being issued following differences over the Russia-Ukraine war. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: No joint communique after G20 meeting

At the opening segment of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting on Thursday (March 2) in New Delhi, India highlighted the agenda of discussion, including global challenges related to conflicts, the Covid pandemic, food, fuel and fertiliser security. Amid current geopolitical tensions, India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar underlined that the G20 grouping "bears an exceptional responsibility". "We first came together amid a global crisis; and now today, actually, we are confronting multiple ones. These include the impact of the Covid pandemic, concerns over fragile supply chains, the knock-on effects of ongoing conflicts, the anxiety of debt crisis and disruption over climate events." His comments came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed foreign ministers who have gathered from various parts of the world and stressed that "multilateralism is in crisis today".&nbsp;

Here are five major pitches raised at the opening session by India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar:&nbsp;

1) On multiple challenges and global issues, Jaishankar said, nations "may not always be in one mind". "There are some matters of sharp differences of opinion. We must find common directions because that is what the world expects of us. As we look ahead, there are both pressing and systematic challenges that we all confront," he urged. His comments come at a time when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is in Delhi amid differences with the United States over the Ukraine war.&nbsp;

2) The future of multilateralism, Jaishankar said, "depends very much on our ability in a changing world". "Food and energy securities are immediate anxieties magnified by recent events. Now, they do have long-term solutions and repercussions and development cooperation is part of a larger solution that we are deliberating on today," he emphasised.&nbsp;

3) With the current global architecture in its eighth decade, the number of members of the United Nations has quadrupled in this period, the Indian foreign minister said. &nbsp;"It neither reflects today's politics, economics, demographics or aspirations. Since 2005, we have heard sentiments for reforms being expressed at the highest level. But as we all know, these have not materialised. The reasons are no secret. The longer we put it off, the more the credibility of multilateralism stands eroded. Global decision-making has to be democratised if it has to have a future," he insisted.&nbsp;

Watch| G20 Meet: ‘This grouping bears exceptional responsibility,’ says EAM Jaishankar

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4) Issues related to food, fuel and fertiliser security are "truly make-or-break issues for developing countries", Jaishankar said at the session. "Such issues should not be relegated to the periphery of the international discourse. They are, in fact, crucial to the global economy and must be treated like that. All of us have an obligation to contribute to international growth and prosperity. India has undertaken development projects in 78 countries and has actively encouraged capability building," he said. The G20 must be sensitive to needs of all our partners, especially those more vulnerable, Jaishankar further highlighted, adding that "we must ensure demand-driven and sustainable cooperation based on ownership and transparency".&nbsp; 
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5) In a tacit reference to the Ukraine conflict, he also said that the world must strive for more reliable and resilient supply chains.&nbsp; 
"Recent experiences have underlined the risks of depending on limited geographies," he stressed. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
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At the opening segment of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting on Thursday (March 2) in New Delhi, India highlighted the agenda of discussion, including global challenges related to conflicts, the Covid pandemic, food, fuel and fertiliser security.

At the opening segment of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting on Thursday (March 2) in New Delhi, India highlighted the agenda of discussion, including global challenges related to conflicts, the Covid pandemic, food, fuel and fertiliser security. Amid current geopolitical tensions, India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar underlined that the G20 grouping "bears an exceptional responsibility". "We first came together amid a global crisis; and now today, actually, we are confronting multiple ones. These include the impact of the Covid pandemic, concerns over fragile supply chains, the knock-on effects of ongoing conflicts, the anxiety of debt crisis and disruption over climate events." His comments came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed foreign ministers who have gathered from various parts of the world and stressed that "multilateralism is in crisis today". Here are five major pitches raised at the opening session by India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar: 1) On multiple challenges and global issues, Jaishankar said, nations "may not always be in one mind". "There are some matters of sharp differences of opinion. We must find common directions because that is what the world expects of us. As we look ahead, there are both pressing and systematic challenges that we all confront," he urged. His comments come at a time when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is in Delhi amid differences with the United States over the Ukraine war. 2) The future of multilateralism, Jaishankar said, "depends very much on our ability in a changing world". "Food and energy securities are immediate anxieties magnified by recent events. Now, they do have long-term solutions and repercussions and development cooperation is part of a larger solution that we are deliberating on today," he emphasised. 3) With the current global architecture in its eighth decade, the number of members of the United Nations has quadrupled in this period, the Indian foreign minister said. "It neither reflects today's politics, economics, demographics or aspirations. Since 2005, we have heard sentiments for reforms being expressed at the highest level. But as we all know, these have not materialised. The reasons are no secret. The longer we put it off, the more the credibility of multilateralism stands eroded. Global decision-making has to be democratised if it has to have a future," he insisted. Watch| G20 Meet: ‘This grouping bears exceptional responsibility,’ says EAM Jaishankar × 4) Issues related to food, fuel and fertiliser security are "truly make-or-break issues for developing countries", Jaishankar said at the session. "Such issues should not be relegated to the periphery of the international discourse. They are, in fact, crucial to the global economy and must be treated like that. All of us have an obligation to contribute to international growth and prosperity. India has undertaken development projects in 78 countries and has actively encouraged capability building," he said. The G20 must be sensitive to needs of all our partners, especially those more vulnerable, Jaishankar further highlighted, adding that "we must ensure demand-driven and sustainable cooperation based on ownership and transparency". 5) In a tacit reference to the Ukraine conflict, he also said that the world must strive for more reliable and resilient supply chains. "Recent experiences have underlined the risks of depending on limited geographies," he stressed. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India's five big pitches at opening segment of key G20 foreign ministers' meet

A Swedish Parliament spokesperson said on Thursday (March 2) that a delegation of Hungarian lawmakers plans to visit Sweden on March 7 to discuss the Nordic country's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Speaking to the news agency Reuters, the spokesperson said the delegation led by Hungary's Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Csaba Hende will meet with Swedish Speaker Andreas Nolen.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, Finland said it also expected a visit from a Hungarian delegation.&nbsp;

The two Nordic countries applied to join the intergovernmental military alliance last year due to Russia's offensive in Ukraine. Hungary and Turkey are the only NATO members who do not yet have ratified the bids.

Sweden has been facing objections from Turkey (to join NATO), which accused Stockholm of harbouring members of Kurdish terrorist groups. While Turkey indicated that it could approve Finland's application, it gave no assurances that it would greenlight Sweden's bid. The United States and others hope that the two Nordic countries will be a part of NATO at a summit in Lithuania in July.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, Hungarian lawmakers started debating NATO bids for Sweden and Finland with voting to take place from March 20, after it was initially scheduled for March 6-9. Opposition MP Agnes Vadai called the ruling party Fidesz's internal debate a mere tactic to delay the ratification, the news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

Also on Wednesday, Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said that his country joining NATO along with Finland was a major unexpected consequence for Russia.&nbsp;

Speaking to reporters in Estonia, Jonson said, "If Moscow had one strategic goal with my country and with Finland, I think it was to keep us outside of NATO. Three months after this war started, Sweden and Finland&nbsp;applied hand-in-hand for NATO membership. That is the mother of all unintended consequences for Russian geostrategic thinking, believe me,"&nbsp;Reuters reported.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Swedish Parliament spokesperson said on Thursday (March 2) that a delegation of Hungarian lawmakers plans to visit Sweden on March 7 to discuss the Nordic country's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

A Swedish Parliament spokesperson said on Thursday (March 2) that a delegation of Hungarian lawmakers plans to visit Sweden on March 7 to discuss the Nordic country's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Speaking to the news agency Reuters, the spokesperson said the delegation led by Hungary's Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Csaba Hende will meet with Swedish Speaker Andreas Nolen. Earlier this week, Finland said it also expected a visit from a Hungarian delegation. The two Nordic countries applied to join the intergovernmental military alliance last year due to Russia's offensive in Ukraine. Hungary and Turkey are the only NATO members who do not yet have ratified the bids. Sweden has been facing objections from Turkey (to join NATO), which accused Stockholm of harbouring members of Kurdish terrorist groups. While Turkey indicated that it could approve Finland's application, it gave no assurances that it would greenlight Sweden's bid. The United States and others hope that the two Nordic countries will be a part of NATO at a summit in Lithuania in July. On Wednesday, Hungarian lawmakers started debating NATO bids for Sweden and Finland with voting to take place from March 20, after it was initially scheduled for March 6-9. Opposition MP Agnes Vadai called the ruling party Fidesz's internal debate a mere tactic to delay the ratification, the news agency AFP reported. Also on Wednesday, Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said that his country joining NATO along with Finland was a major unexpected consequence for Russia. Speaking to reporters in Estonia, Jonson said, "If Moscow had one strategic goal with my country and with Finland, I think it was to keep us outside of NATO. Three months after this war started, Sweden and Finland applied hand-in-hand for NATO membership. That is the mother of all unintended consequences for Russian geostrategic thinking, believe me," Reuters reported. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Hungarian MPs plan to visit Sweden on March 7 to discuss NATO bid: Stockholm

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is in India to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting, hit out at Western countries on Thursday (March 2) by saying that the West is isolating itself now.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is in India to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting, hit out at Western countries on Thursday (March 2) by saying that the West is isolating itself now. Addressing a press conference, Lavrov said the West represents itself as the beacon of democracy but keeps on bullying others. "....We do not feel isolated. The West is isolating itself now. If the West is so democratic then why can't they apply democratic principles internationally?" Lavrov said. The Russian foreign minister's remark came after Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia for its offensive in Ukraine, which recently marked one year. ALSO READ | PM Modi urges G20 nations to find common ground on divisive issues Sergey Lavrov told reporters, "...This invasion (of Ukraine as per the West) reflects the reaction to the war the West was preparing for many years and that is why it was arming the Ukrainian regime..." If we see these countries (from west) they were conquering land & exploiting the people. Unfortunately, west did not drop its neocolonial habits...west is still promoting their interstes without considering interests of global community : Russian FM Lavrov in Delhi pic.twitter.com/gQ5vor1wmS — ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2023 × Lavrov said that Western countries were conquering land and exploiting people, and unfortunately, the West did not drop its neocolonial habits. "The West is still promoting their interests without considering the interests of the global community," he added. ALSO READ | As divide over Ukraine persists, no joint statement for G20 foreign ministers' meet : Jaishankar Slamming the United States, Lavrov said that some countries under pressure said certain things or voted in a certain manner to relieve themselves from American pressure. But he pointed out that no developing country joined sanctions because they are aware of what kind of game the West is playing. The Russian foreign minister also said that his country never stood against any state or any country developing foreign ties with any other state. Ukraine war impacting Global South: S Jaishankar Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, who earlier met Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 meeting, said on Thursday that the Ukraine war is impacting the Global South. "India has been saying very strongly since a year that for much of the Global South, this is a make or break issue. The costs of fuel, food & availability of fertilisers are extremely pressing issues," Jaishankar said during a press conference. #WATCH | If we had perfect meetings of minds on all issues & captured it fully, it would have been collective statement but there were issues on which there were diveregences...There were differences on Ukraine issue which we could not reconcile: EAM pic.twitter.com/bfFxG5CRaN — ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2023 × Jaishankar added the knock-on effects of the war are damaging countries already struggling with debt and impacted by the pandemic. "This matter is of deep concern that is why we have kept the focus of these meetings on the Global South & vulnerable countries," he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

G20 meet: Russia's Lavrov denounces West's isolation pitch, says West, not Moscow, isolating itself

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of throwing waves of men into battle in Bakhmut with no regard for their lives. The Ukrainian president said the fighting was "most difficult".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of throwing waves of men into battle in Bakhmut with no regard for their lives. The Ukrainian president said the fighting was "most difficult". Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed in the conflict, while millions of Ukrainians have become refugees in the war which started last year in February. Oleg Nikolenko, who is the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, weighed in on several issues as he spoke to WION. Here is the interview: WION: How do you sum up the response by the international community to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia? Oleg Nikolenko: Ukraine is extremely grateful to the international community for providing military, financial, and humanitarian aid. But of course, as the war continues, this support is not enough. We do not want to be seen as a greater nation but as long as the fighting continues, Ukraine needs more support to repel Russian forces and liberate Ukrainian territories. WION: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky announced his intention to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping Xi. When is the meeting happening? Will the president travel to China or will it be at a neutral venue? Oleg Nikolenko: Indeed president Zelensky expressed readiness to meet President Xi. But I am not in a position to talk more about it at this place. We have seen the Chinese position and we are analysing it. But we can say that what Zelensky has said is that it's a positive development. China has spoken out on the need to end the war and we look forward to Chinese action in this regard. WION: Chinese foreign minister said they have been in communication with the Ukrainian side in the past as well. Do you see a change in Chinese side now with this peace proposal? Oleg Nikolenko: I can say that while China prepared this, they didn't consult Ukraine and we learned about it a few days before through the media. We took note of it and as I said we are analysing, the most important thing is to see how words will be followed. WION: Is there a meeting ground between China and Ukraine vis-a-vis the Russian invasion on the matter of Russia? Oleg Nikolenko: President Zelesnky expressed his desire to meet President Xi. Ukraine has expressed its readiness even before FM Kuleba had several contacts with his counterparts. The last meeting took place in Munich of course Ukraine is seeking contact with the Chinese side. It is a positive development, China has spoken out and we want to see more actions. Watch this report: × WION: US side has warned of a possible supply of arms by China to Russia. What does Ukraine believe and can china supply lethal arms? Oleg Nikolenko: We have seen those media reports and we are extremely concerned about them. Our position with any military support to Russia which is launching an aggressive war against Ukraine will undermine the peaceful proposal. WION: Under the current circumstance, G20 FM meetings and other engagements will be on. Do you think India as a G20 chair can be a key player in bringing a solution? Oleg Nikolenko: I think the non-alignment position is not a key element in it. We are dealing with a war of aggression where a strong neighbour attacks a weaker neighbour. So I think India has a big role to play in this. I think G20 ministerial meeting is a good opportunity to call Russia to stop the war. We have seen a statement from the PM of India to end the war. We can only amplify that Russia must be called to end the war and peace can be restored. WION: G20 FM is beginning in India. Key players like Blinken, Lavrov and others will be there, do you want to send any message to the group from this platform? Oleg Nikolenko: We believe G20 can play a role to end the war but unfortunately as long as Russia is part of this group, it will be difficult to take concrete actions towards this goal. Yes, we have a lot of friends in this meeting and we expect serious discussion among them. We are looking for a concrete resolution following this meeting. I think the chances are very low. WION: What are your expectations from India's side, not just as G20 chairperson but on a bilateral position, because they enjoyed good terms with the US and Russia? Do you have any expectations from India? Oleg Nikolenko: We would welcome the proactive role of India in terms of calling Russia to end the war. I think the Russian war against Ukraine is not only Russia-Ukraine things. It's a violation of UN Charter and any country that believes in it, should stand with Ukraine. In this regard, we will welcome India's approach. WION: What are your expectations from Pakistan as there are reports that Pakistan is sending arms to Ukraine through third countries? Will you confirm the report? Oleg Nikolenko: Our practice is that we never confirm military cooperation unless the country wants to confirm by itself. I would like to direct this question to the Pakistan defence ministry. A few days ago, Zelensky spoke with Pakistan's leadership and they discussed ways to strengthen military cooperation. Ukraine is really interested to boost its cooperation with Pakistan but unfortunately, Pakistan abstained from the UN vote on February 23 where there was a resolution seeking lasting peace in Ukraine. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'India is a strong regional partner': Spokesperson of Ukraine's foreign ministry speaks to WION

That the Economist newspaper of London is ‘rooting for war’ - as a ramrod issue of the West’s resolve in the war in and over Ukraine- reflects broad and deep shifts in international relations and world politics. It must be pointed out here that the very same newspaper was a zealous proponent of ‘liberal peace’- one major element of which was ‘complex interdependence’ induced by trade and capital flows. Now the Economist is not merely suggesting but actually asking the West to militarize and in the inversion of Clausewitz’s dictum suggesting ‘war is the extension of diplomacy’. This is, lets say for the uninitiated, extremely significant and portentous. Among other things, the Economist seems to be suggesting that,’ it is in the crucible of war that the West can not only ‘stem its perceived decline’ and reinvigorate itself but signal its resolve to its adversaries. What, the question, is, does this tell about international relations and world politics?

The answer is prosaic: Force and power are, were and remain the sine qua non of both. The rest- soft power (as important as it is but only as a complement to hard power), trade and capital (crisscrossing of these across the world), international organisations like the United Nations and so on- are mere sideshows to the real game of power politics. And that force is its ultima ratio. These ‘realities’ of world were occluded and obscured by the ‘roaring nineties’ and its after-effects that lingered for a little while in the 21st century. The ‘ roaring nineties’ also- at least in academic and to some degree practical terms- gave short shrift to the north-south divide. But in, for now, a loose sense, this divide is back. Given the rejig of and in international relations and world politics, what options does the Global South have? How can it comport itself?

First, the south must jettison both its past baggage and legacies plus some of the fads (promoted and promulgated by Thomas Friedman of the New York Times). The post-colonial interlude defined fashionable theories- dependency theory, autarky and import substitution- must not make a comeback if the Global South is to morph into a bloc of reckoning. Second, faddish theories propounded by Thomas Friedman, while not always wrong and not always right need to be viewed with some degree of skepticism. (Galilee was and is right: the world is round and contrary to Friedman’s formulation of the ‘flat world’ that is aimed to provoke his readers into thinking otherwise and accepting his worldview). Does the Global South then need to tread the middle road between the past, present and future?

No.

The world is changing and will change radically. Past markers or even paradigms will not work. Neither will faddish themes- no matter how well articulated and expressed. What are the options for the Global South?

To remain in the loop of ‘cutting edge developments and themes’ but yet maintain a distinct identity is the answer. How can this be achieved against the backdrop of the evolving war in and over Ukraine and the putative Cold War 2.0 where the Global South becomes ever more important?

The Global South must, at least for now, take a few leafs from the Non-Aligned Movement. That is, remain vigorously and decidedly non-aligned in the battle for world order, international relations and world political economy. In other words, instead of hitching its ‘proverbial wagon to either major protagonist in either hot or cold wars, the Global South must adopt a wait-and-watch strategy. This is not to suggest that the South latches onto a side that ‘wins’ or is more powerful. The broad idea for the constituents of the Global South is to develop and define their national interest(s) and integrate principles and values with the emerging raison d’etat. This would mean an expansive outward orientation but not an inward-looking approach. The ‘wait and watch’ strategy would also entail developing a capabilities approach in developing hard power and an economic development paradigm that redounds to the benefit of the South’s peoples. And importantly, the final denouement of the mini-conflicts and the overarching Cold War confrontation will allow for the Global South to see clearly what values are at stake, which are universally salient and which resonate and mesh with global peace and values.

World politics and international relations are in the midst of fundamental churn. How these denoue and pan out will determine world order and leave a far reaching ingress on it. This presents an opportunity for the Global South. It must ‘read the tea leaves’ with great prudence and care and veer to idea(s) that lead, in the long-duration&nbsp;scheme of things, to universal peace and its concomitant development.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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That the Economist newspaper of London is ‘rooting for war’ - as a ramrod issue of the West’s resolve in the war in and over Ukraine- reflects broad and deep shifts in international relations and world politics.

That the Economist newspaper of London is ‘rooting for war’ - as a ramrod issue of the West’s resolve in the war in and over Ukraine- reflects broad and deep shifts in international relations and world politics. It must be pointed out here that the very same newspaper was a zealous proponent of ‘liberal peace’- one major element of which was ‘complex interdependence’ induced by trade and capital flows. Now the Economist is not merely suggesting but actually asking the West to militarize and in the inversion of Clausewitz’s dictum suggesting ‘war is the extension of diplomacy’. This is, lets say for the uninitiated, extremely significant and portentous. Among other things, the Economist seems to be suggesting that,’ it is in the crucible of war that the West can not only ‘stem its perceived decline’ and reinvigorate itself but signal its resolve to its adversaries. What, the question, is, does this tell about international relations and world politics? The answer is prosaic: Force and power are, were and remain the sine qua non of both. The rest- soft power (as important as it is but only as a complement to hard power), trade and capital (crisscrossing of these across the world), international organisations like the United Nations and so on- are mere sideshows to the real game of power politics. And that force is its ultima ratio. These ‘realities’ of world were occluded and obscured by the ‘roaring nineties’ and its after-effects that lingered for a little while in the 21st century. The ‘ roaring nineties’ also- at least in academic and to some degree practical terms- gave short shrift to the north-south divide. But in, for now, a loose sense, this divide is back. Given the rejig of and in international relations and world politics, what options does the Global South have? How can it comport itself? First, the south must jettison both its past baggage and legacies plus some of the fads (promoted and promulgated by Thomas Friedman of the New York Times). The post-colonial interlude defined fashionable theories- dependency theory, autarky and import substitution- must not make a comeback if the Global South is to morph into a bloc of reckoning. Second, faddish theories propounded by Thomas Friedman, while not always wrong and not always right need to be viewed with some degree of skepticism. (Galilee was and is right: the world is round and contrary to Friedman’s formulation of the ‘flat world’ that is aimed to provoke his readers into thinking otherwise and accepting his worldview). Does the Global South then need to tread the middle road between the past, present and future? No. The world is changing and will change radically. Past markers or even paradigms will not work. Neither will faddish themes- no matter how well articulated and expressed. What are the options for the Global South? To remain in the loop of ‘cutting edge developments and themes’ but yet maintain a distinct identity is the answer. How can this be achieved against the backdrop of the evolving war in and over Ukraine and the putative Cold War 2.0 where the Global South becomes ever more important? The Global South must, at least for now, take a few leafs from the Non-Aligned Movement. That is, remain vigorously and decidedly non-aligned in the battle for world order, international relations and world political economy. In other words, instead of hitching its ‘proverbial wagon to either major protagonist in either hot or cold wars, the Global South must adopt a wait-and-watch strategy. This is not to suggest that the South latches onto a side that ‘wins’ or is more powerful. The broad idea for the constituents of the Global South is to develop and define their national interest(s) and integrate principles and values with the emerging raison d’etat. This would mean an expansive outward orientation but not an inward-looking approach. The ‘wait and watch’ strategy would also entail developing a capabilities approach in developing hard power and an economic development paradigm that redounds to the benefit of the South’s peoples. And importantly, the final denouement of the mini-conflicts and the overarching Cold War confrontation will allow for the Global South to see clearly what values are at stake, which are universally salient and which resonate and mesh with global peace and values. World politics and international relations are in the midst of fundamental churn. How these denoue and pan out will determine world order and leave a far reaching ingress on it. This presents an opportunity for the Global South. It must ‘read the tea leaves’ with great prudence and care and veer to idea(s) that lead, in the long-duration scheme of things, to universal peace and its concomitant development. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Options for the ‘Global South,' post the war in and over Ukraine

A team of Ukrainian and international lawyers has found evidence which suggests that the&nbsp; Russian torture centres found in Kherson, Ukraine, were not random, but were planned and directly financed by Russia. Notably, Kherson was under Russian control for eight months, from March last year till the beginning of November when Ukrainian forces took back control of the city after a fierce counteroffensive.

The prisoners at the centres included anyone who was connected to the Ukrainian state or Ukrainian civil society, including activists, journalists, civil servants and teachers. Several others who had been imprisoned there said they were randomly picked off the street and detained for allegedly having “pro-Ukrainian” material on their phones.

The team, headed by a UK barrister, is known as the Mobile Justice Team,&nbsp;said on Thursday that they investigated 20 torture chambers in Kherson and it is highly likely that they were part of a “calculated plan to terrorise, subjugate and eliminate Ukrainian resistance and destroy Ukrainian identity”.

Also Read |&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-ukraine-war-us-discussing-possible-sanctions-against-china-report-567567">Amid Ukraine war, US discussing possible sanctions against China: Report</a>

Ukrainian prosecutors had collected evidence from around 1,000 survivors to understand more about the torture centres. Plans used by Russian forces to establish, manage and finance the 20 torture centres in Kherson were part of the evidence analysed by the group.&nbsp;

“The mass torture chambers, financed by the Russian state, are not random but rather part of a carefully thought-out and financed blueprint with a clear objective to eliminate Ukrainian national and cultural identity,” said Wayne Jordash, the British barrister who is leading the team.

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“The mass torture chambers, financed by the Russian state, are not random but rather part of a carefully thought-out and financed blueprint with a clear objective to eliminate Ukrainian national and cultural identity,” said the British barrister Wayne Jordash.

The lawyers say that the torture centres were run by Russian security services, the FSB, as well as the Russian prison service and local collaborators. The torture centres, they said, were meant to subjugate, re-educate or kill Ukrainian civic leaders and ordinary dissenters.

Those taken to the torture centres were beaten and given electric shocks. The team says they were also forced to learn and recite pro-Russian slogans, poems and songs. At least 400 people went missing from the centres, and it is unclear if they died or&nbsp;were taken to Russia.

“Putin’s plan is to occupy Ukraine, subjugate the Ukrainian population to Russian rule and destroy Ukrainian identity. This plan is becoming clearer as the evidence of war crimes proliferates and as our investigations progress,” Jordash said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A team of Ukrainian and international lawyers has found evidence which suggests that the Russian torture centres found in Kherson, Ukraine, were not random, but were planned and directly financed by Russia.

A team of Ukrainian and international lawyers has found evidence which suggests that the Russian torture centres found in Kherson, Ukraine, were not random, but were planned and directly financed by Russia. Notably, Kherson was under Russian control for eight months, from March last year till the beginning of November when Ukrainian forces took back control of the city after a fierce counteroffensive. The prisoners at the centres included anyone who was connected to the Ukrainian state or Ukrainian civil society, including activists, journalists, civil servants and teachers. Several others who had been imprisoned there said they were randomly picked off the street and detained for allegedly having “pro-Ukrainian” material on their phones. The team, headed by a UK barrister, is known as the Mobile Justice Team, said on Thursday that they investigated 20 torture chambers in Kherson and it is highly likely that they were part of a “calculated plan to terrorise, subjugate and eliminate Ukrainian resistance and destroy Ukrainian identity”. Also Read | Amid Ukraine war, US discussing possible sanctions against China: Report Ukrainian prosecutors had collected evidence from around 1,000 survivors to understand more about the torture centres. Plans used by Russian forces to establish, manage and finance the 20 torture centres in Kherson were part of the evidence analysed by the group. “The mass torture chambers, financed by the Russian state, are not random but rather part of a carefully thought-out and financed blueprint with a clear objective to eliminate Ukrainian national and cultural identity,” said Wayne Jordash, the British barrister who is leading the team. × “The mass torture chambers, financed by the Russian state, are not random but rather part of a carefully thought-out and financed blueprint with a clear objective to eliminate Ukrainian national and cultural identity,” said the British barrister Wayne Jordash. The lawyers say that the torture centres were run by Russian security services, the FSB, as well as the Russian prison service and local collaborators. The torture centres, they said, were meant to subjugate, re-educate or kill Ukrainian civic leaders and ordinary dissenters. Those taken to the torture centres were beaten and given electric shocks. The team says they were also forced to learn and recite pro-Russian slogans, poems and songs. At least 400 people went missing from the centres, and it is unclear if they died or were taken to Russia. “Putin’s plan is to occupy Ukraine, subjugate the Ukrainian population to Russian rule and destroy Ukrainian identity. This plan is becoming clearer as the evidence of war crimes proliferates and as our investigations progress,” Jordash said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Torture centres in Kherson planned and financed by Russia, says lawyer group

The United States is seeking the backing of its allies for imposing fresh sanctions on China if Beijing offers military support to Moscow amid the Ukraine war. The discussions - said to be in the initial stage - are being held with members of the wealthy G7 grouping apart from other countries, news agency Reuters reported, citing officials familiar with the matter. In the past, Beijing has rebuffed Washington's claims of providing support to the Kremlin in the form of weapons for the war.&nbsp;

Kyiv marked one year of Russia's invasion, which was launched on February 22, 2022, last week as world leaders praised Ukraine for its resistance. Millions have been displaced because of the violence in the war-ravaged country. The conflict's knock-out effects have also hit global food and fuel supply chains. There is no end in sight for the war, which has also raised concerns about the use of nuclear weapons.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden renewed his attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin last month when he paid a surprise visit to Kyiv ahead of the Ukraine war anniversary. In retaliation, Moscow has also been accusing the West of disrupting economies with multiple sanctions. China, however, has been silent amid global condemnation of the Kremlin.&nbsp;

Also watch|&nbsp; Russia- Ukraine war: Ukrainian soldiers say 'situation calmer'

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The report on drumming up support for sanctions comes at a time Washington and Beijing are already engaged in a diplomatic standoff&nbsp;over accusations of China sending "spy balloons" to the US.&nbsp;

 
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/g20-nations-should-try-and-stop-the-russia-ukraine-war-bangladesh-fm-tells-wion-567397">G20 nations should try and stop the Russia-Ukraine war, Bangladesh FM tells WION</a>

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The Biden administration's initial steps to counter Chinese support for Russia have included informal outreach at the staff and diplomatic levels, including the Treasury Department, Reuters reported, citing sources. An official from a country approached by Washington said that they had only seen scant intelligence backing up the claims about China considering possible military help to Russia.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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The United States is seeking the backing of its allies for imposing fresh sanctions on China if Beijing offers military support to Moscow amid the Ukraine war. The discussions - said to be in the initial stage - are being held with members of the wealthy G7 grouping apart from other countries, news agency Reuters reported, citing officials familiar with the matter.

The United States is seeking the backing of its allies for imposing fresh sanctions on China if Beijing offers military support to Moscow amid the Ukraine war. The discussions - said to be in the initial stage - are being held with members of the wealthy G7 grouping apart from other countries, news agency Reuters reported, citing officials familiar with the matter. In the past, Beijing has rebuffed Washington's claims of providing support to the Kremlin in the form of weapons for the war. Kyiv marked one year of Russia's invasion, which was launched on February 22, 2022, last week as world leaders praised Ukraine for its resistance. Millions have been displaced because of the violence in the war-ravaged country. The conflict's knock-out effects have also hit global food and fuel supply chains. There is no end in sight for the war, which has also raised concerns about the use of nuclear weapons. US President Joe Biden renewed his attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin last month when he paid a surprise visit to Kyiv ahead of the Ukraine war anniversary. In retaliation, Moscow has also been accusing the West of disrupting economies with multiple sanctions. China, however, has been silent amid global condemnation of the Kremlin. Also watch| Russia- Ukraine war: Ukrainian soldiers say 'situation calmer' × The report on drumming up support for sanctions comes at a time Washington and Beijing are already engaged in a diplomatic standoff over accusations of China sending "spy balloons" to the US. Also read: G20 nations should try and stop the Russia-Ukraine war, Bangladesh FM tells WION The Biden administration's initial steps to counter Chinese support for Russia have included informal outreach at the staff and diplomatic levels, including the Treasury Department, Reuters reported, citing sources. An official from a country approached by Washington said that they had only seen scant intelligence backing up the claims about China considering possible military help to Russia. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Amid Ukraine war, US discussing possible sanctions against China: Report

Here we bring you a quick round-up of all latest news, top headlines and international breakings from all across the globe, stay tuned with Gravitas for more!

Gravitas Global Headlines: Russian media releases video of warplanes launching missiles in Bakhmut

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered stepped-up protection at the border after Moscow on Tuesday (February 28) accused Kyiv of launching drones deep into the national territory. While a spate of targeted launches raised questions about Russian defences, officials said no damage or injuries were reported. One of the drones crashed in the Moscow region in what seemed to be an attempt to target civilian infrastructure, the city's governor said. The developments come a week after Ukraine marked one year of war against Russia. &nbsp;

While Putin did not refer to any specific strikes, his order is being viewed as a response to the drone launches, according to news agency AP. The strikes were reported on Monday night and Tuesday. The airspace over St Petersburg was temporarily closed amid concerns over an "unidentified" flying object.&nbsp;

About 100 km from Moscow, near the village of Gubastov, a drone crashed near the gas facility operated by Russian energy giant Gazprom on Tuesday, according to BBC. "There are no casualties or damage on the ground. The FSB [Russian security service] and other competent authorities are investigating," Moscow Governor Andrey Vorobyov posted on Telegram.&nbsp;

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Also watch|&nbsp;Russia- Ukraine : A year of war and misery

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Even as there has been no confirmation from Kyiv on the strikes, Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to Ukraine's internal affairs minister, tweeted a photo showing the drone - presumed to be UJ-22 Airborne, a product of Ukrainian manufacturer Ukrjet - at the crash site. 
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-accuses-us-of-planning-toxic-chemicals-provocation-in-ukraine-566906">Russia accuses US of planning 'toxic chemicals' provocation in Ukraine</a> 
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"Russian media report that an unknown drone was shot down near a Gazprom object in Moscow region. It is more than 500 km away from Russian border with Ukraine. Soon Putin might get very afraid to show himself in public as drones can reach far distances (sic)," he tweeted. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Russian officials on Tuesday also alleged hacking attempts after some local TV channels aired a missile attack warning.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

 
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered stepped-up protection at the border after Moscow on Tuesday (February 28) accused Kyiv of launching drones deep into the national territory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered stepped-up protection at the border after Moscow on Tuesday (February 28) accused Kyiv of launching drones deep into the national territory. While a spate of targeted launches raised questions about Russian defences, officials said no damage or injuries were reported. One of the drones crashed in the Moscow region in what seemed to be an attempt to target civilian infrastructure, the city's governor said. The developments come a week after Ukraine marked one year of war against Russia. While Putin did not refer to any specific strikes, his order is being viewed as a response to the drone launches, according to news agency AP. The strikes were reported on Monday night and Tuesday. The airspace over St Petersburg was temporarily closed amid concerns over an "unidentified" flying object. About 100 km from Moscow, near the village of Gubastov, a drone crashed near the gas facility operated by Russian energy giant Gazprom on Tuesday, according to BBC. "There are no casualties or damage on the ground. The FSB [Russian security service] and other competent authorities are investigating," Moscow Governor Andrey Vorobyov posted on Telegram. Also watch| Russia- Ukraine : A year of war and misery × Even as there has been no confirmation from Kyiv on the strikes, Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to Ukraine's internal affairs minister, tweeted a photo showing the drone - presumed to be UJ-22 Airborne, a product of Ukrainian manufacturer Ukrjet - at the crash site. Also read: Russia accuses US of planning 'toxic chemicals' provocation in Ukraine "Russian media report that an unknown drone was shot down near a Gazprom object in Moscow region. It is more than 500 km away from Russian border with Ukraine. Soon Putin might get very afraid to show himself in public as drones can reach far distances (sic)," he tweeted. Russian officials on Tuesday also alleged hacking attempts after some local TV channels aired a missile attack warning. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Putin steps up border protection as Russia alleges drone attacks by Ukraine

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is on a visit to the European country, and lent his full support to Beijing’s recently proposed "peace" initiative amid the Ukraine war.&nbsp;

During a meeting between the leaders on Wednesday, Lukashenko told Xi, “Belarus has been actively proposing peace and fully supports your initiative on international security.” 
 
The meeting between Lukashenko and Xi&nbsp;led to a joint call by them for a cease-fire and negotiations to bring about a political settlement to the Ukraine conflict.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-appoints-two-prominent-indian-american-corporate-leaders-to-his-export-council-567225">Biden appoints two prominent Indian American corporate leaders to his Export Council</a>

The development comes after&nbsp;China recently said that it hopes to play a constructive role in resolving the geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine and came up with the so-called peace plan in the form of a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation between the warring nations.&nbsp;

Lukashenko also called for a cease-fire and negotiations to end the Ukraine war which entered second year.&nbsp;He said the meeting is held at a very difficult time which requires "new nonstandard approaches and responsible political decisions," reported Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA).&nbsp;

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“They should be aimed to prevent global confrontation which will have no winners. You have recently stated it, both clearly and unambiguously, addressing the world community," the Belarusian president added.&nbsp;

In a veiled reference to the US and other European nations, Xi said, “Relevant countries should stop politicizing and using the world economy as their tool, and take measures that truly advance a cease-fire and stop to war and resolve the crisis peacefully.”

“The core of China’s stance is to call for peace and encourage talks ... and for the legitimate security concerns of all countries to be respected,” Xi was quoted as saying by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Meanwhile, Lukashenko also held a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and urged to give an impetus to the bilateral ties between the nations.&nbsp;

Watch | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/eu-bans-tiktok-on-work-devices-amid-data-security-breaches-567233">EU bans TikTok on work devices amid data security breaches</a>

“We have no closed topics for cooperation. We cooperate in all avenues. Most importantly, we have never set ourselves the task of being friends or working against third countries,” Lukashenko told Li.&nbsp;

In response to China's peace plan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia paid a "lot of attention" to it and added that "for now, we don't see any of the conditions that are needed to bring this whole story towards peace."&nbsp;

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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is on a visit to the European country, and lent his full support to Beijing’s recently proposed "peace" initiative amid the Ukraine war.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is on a visit to the European country, and lent his full support to Beijing’s recently proposed "peace" initiative amid the Ukraine war. During a meeting between the leaders on Wednesday, Lukashenko told Xi, “Belarus has been actively proposing peace and fully supports your initiative on international security.” The meeting between Lukashenko and Xi led to a joint call by them for a cease-fire and negotiations to bring about a political settlement to the Ukraine conflict. Also Read | Biden appoints two prominent Indian American corporate leaders to his Export Council The development comes after China recently said that it hopes to play a constructive role in resolving the geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine and came up with the so-called peace plan in the form of a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation between the warring nations. Lukashenko also called for a cease-fire and negotiations to end the Ukraine war which entered second year. He said the meeting is held at a very difficult time which requires "new nonstandard approaches and responsible political decisions," reported Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA). Also Read | BBC must follow law, EAM Jaishankar tells UK Foreign secretary “They should be aimed to prevent global confrontation which will have no winners. You have recently stated it, both clearly and unambiguously, addressing the world community," the Belarusian president added. In a veiled reference to the US and other European nations, Xi said, “Relevant countries should stop politicizing and using the world economy as their tool, and take measures that truly advance a cease-fire and stop to war and resolve the crisis peacefully.” “The core of China’s stance is to call for peace and encourage talks ... and for the legitimate security concerns of all countries to be respected,” Xi was quoted as saying by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Meanwhile, Lukashenko also held a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and urged to give an impetus to the bilateral ties between the nations. Watch | EU bans TikTok on work devices amid data security breaches “We have no closed topics for cooperation. We cooperate in all avenues. Most importantly, we have never set ourselves the task of being friends or working against third countries,” Lukashenko told Li. In response to China's peace plan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia paid a "lot of attention" to it and added that "for now, we don't see any of the conditions that are needed to bring this whole story towards peace." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Putin’s ally Lukashenko, Xi hold talks, appeal for ceasefire, dialogue to end Ukraine war

More than 300 bodies were found in Kyiv's suburb Bucha. The masscare draws similarities from World War II. WION Correspondent Anas Mallick delivers a ground report from Bucha.

Rebuilding Bucha a year after Russia's massacre

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, the United States and European governments have been scrutinising Africa’s reactions. Views from the continent vary, with many states taking a 'non-aligned' position. The division was revealed at the United Nations when African countries voted on the war. It is evident that African states have a cynical view of a global order whose rules seem to be determined by the West. We explain the reasons for the split in opinion.

World of Africa: Africa divided over Ukraine war

China is on a diplomatic blitz and the West is taking note. In recent months, Xi Jinping has met with world leaders, seeking to re-establish ties and settle disagreements. Analysts say Beijing's engagements are an attempt to counter Washington's improvements in ties with countries around the world.

China seeking to re-establish ties & settle disagreements as Ukraine war rages | Key details

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the members of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), suggesting that they are getting directly involved in the Ukraine conflict by supplying arms to the country. Putin said that the West planned to break up Russia.&nbsp;

In an interview with the Rossiya-1 channel aired on Sunday, the Russian president said that the West is sending tens of billions of dollars in weapons to Ukraine, which is "participation". &nbsp;

Putin said, "This means that they are taking part, albeit indirectly, in the crimes being carried out by the Kyiv regime."&nbsp;

Putin also accused the West of attempting to "dismember" Russia, with an aim to turn the nation into a series of mini-states—weaker in strength.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-accuses-west-of-destabilising-g20-finance-chiefs-meet-in-india-565962">Russia accuses West of ‘destabilising’ G20 finance chiefs’ meet in India</a>&nbsp;

Putin said in the interview that the US and other NATO allies wanted to "inflict a strategic defeat on us [Russia]" and also to "make our people suffer". Putin added: "How can we ignore their nuclear capabilities in these conditions?"&nbsp;

Putin spoke on the sidelines of a patriotic concert in Moscow, which was on Thursday on the eve of the first anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale offensive in Ukraine.

He said, "What are we against? Against the fact that this new world that is taking shape is being built only in the interests of just one country, the United States."

Putin added, "Now that their attempts to re-configure the world in their own likeness after the fall of the Soviet Union have led to this situation, we are obliged to react."&nbsp;

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<h2>US reiterates China mulling arms for Russia&nbsp;</h2>

Meanwhile, the United States claimed that it is "confident" that China is mulling over sending lethal equipment to support the Russian forces in the Ukraine war.&nbsp;

The CIA director William Burns said that such a move by Beijing would be "a very risky and unwise bet," the intelligence chief said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the members of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), suggesting that they are getting directly involved in the Ukraine conflict by supplying arms to the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the members of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), suggesting that they are getting directly involved in the Ukraine conflict by supplying arms to the country. Putin said that the West planned to break up Russia. In an interview with the Rossiya-1 channel aired on Sunday, the Russian president said that the West is sending tens of billions of dollars in weapons to Ukraine, which is "participation". Putin said, "This means that they are taking part, albeit indirectly, in the crimes being carried out by the Kyiv regime." Putin also accused the West of attempting to "dismember" Russia, with an aim to turn the nation into a series of mini-states—weaker in strength. ALSO READ | Russia accuses West of ‘destabilising’ G20 finance chiefs’ meet in India Putin said in the interview that the US and other NATO allies wanted to "inflict a strategic defeat on us [Russia]" and also to "make our people suffer". Putin added: "How can we ignore their nuclear capabilities in these conditions?" Putin spoke on the sidelines of a patriotic concert in Moscow, which was on Thursday on the eve of the first anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale offensive in Ukraine. He said, "What are we against? Against the fact that this new world that is taking shape is being built only in the interests of just one country, the United States." Putin added, "Now that their attempts to re-configure the world in their own likeness after the fall of the Soviet Union have led to this situation, we are obliged to react." × US reiterates China mulling arms for Russia Meanwhile, the United States claimed that it is "confident" that China is mulling over sending lethal equipment to support the Russian forces in the Ukraine war. The CIA director William Burns said that such a move by Beijing would be "a very risky and unwise bet," the intelligence chief said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin accuses West of participating in conflict by supplying arms

Russia weighed in on the 12-point peace plan presented by China, terming it a political solution in Ukraine but also mentioned that the given conditions for a peaceful resolution of the war were not in place "at the moment".&nbsp;

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russia paid a "lot of attention to our Chinese friends' plan", he further added that "for now, we don't see any of the conditions that are needed to bring this whole story towards peace."&nbsp;

China recently said that it hopes to play a constructive role in resolving the geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine and came up with the so-called peace plan in the form of a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation between the warring nations.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-will-be-killed-by-his-aides-zelensky-claims-in-ukraine-war-anniversary-documentary-566416">Putin will be killed by his aides, Zelensky claims in Ukraine war anniversary documentary</a>&nbsp;

The move was vastly welcomed by the Western nations despite growing speculations that Beijing is mulling over sending "lethal aid" to Moscow for the Ukraine war.&nbsp;

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had also said Moscow was open to achieving the goals of the "special military operation" through political and diplomatic means.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, United States President Joe Biden had told media outlet ABC News in an interview that the idea that Beijing would be negotiating the outcome of the Ukraine war was not "rational".&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;US, NATO scramble to discuss China from supplying lethal aid&nbsp;

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In the past few days, a glimmer of hope is seen with several mentions of diplomatic talks and proposals of peace plans. French President Emmanuel Macron also announced last week that he will visit China in early April, which will be his official visit—an&nbsp;attempt to seek Chinese help with ending the Russia-Ukraine war.&nbsp;

However, Russia has hinted that any settlement of the conflict needed to recognise Russia's control over four Ukrainian regions as Moscow claims to have annexed the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson but never fully controlled them.&nbsp;

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country needed to work with China, arguing "it seems to me that there is respect for our territorial integrity, security issues" from the Chinese perspective.&nbsp;

Zelensky also said he was convinced that only a country whose territory is under attack can initiate "any peace initiatives."&nbsp;

<h2>Kremlin on situation in Moldovan region&nbsp;</h2>

Kremlin also said that it is concerned by the situation in Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region, where it said Ukraine and other European countries were stirring up the situation.&nbsp;

Moscow last week told the West that it would view any actions that threatened Russian peacekeepers in Transdniestria as an attack on Russia itself.&nbsp;

The warning came amid increased concerns in Moldova, a small ex-Soviet republic located between Romania and Ukraine, of a possible Russian threat.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

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Russia weighed in on the 12-point peace plan presented by China, terming it a political solution in Ukraine but also mentioned that the given conditions for a peaceful resolution of the war were not in place "at the moment".

Russia weighed in on the 12-point peace plan presented by China, terming it a political solution in Ukraine but also mentioned that the given conditions for a peaceful resolution of the war were not in place "at the moment". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russia paid a "lot of attention to our Chinese friends' plan", he further added that "for now, we don't see any of the conditions that are needed to bring this whole story towards peace." China recently said that it hopes to play a constructive role in resolving the geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine and came up with the so-called peace plan in the form of a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation between the warring nations. ALSO READ | Putin will be killed by his aides, Zelensky claims in Ukraine war anniversary documentary The move was vastly welcomed by the Western nations despite growing speculations that Beijing is mulling over sending "lethal aid" to Moscow for the Ukraine war. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had also said Moscow was open to achieving the goals of the "special military operation" through political and diplomatic means. Meanwhile, United States President Joe Biden had told media outlet ABC News in an interview that the idea that Beijing would be negotiating the outcome of the Ukraine war was not "rational". WATCH | US, NATO scramble to discuss China from supplying lethal aid × ALSO READ | Zelensky fires senior military commander without citing any reason In the past few days, a glimmer of hope is seen with several mentions of diplomatic talks and proposals of peace plans. French President Emmanuel Macron also announced last week that he will visit China in early April, which will be his official visit—an attempt to seek Chinese help with ending the Russia-Ukraine war. However, Russia has hinted that any settlement of the conflict needed to recognise Russia's control over four Ukrainian regions as Moscow claims to have annexed the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson but never fully controlled them. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country needed to work with China, arguing "it seems to me that there is respect for our territorial integrity, security issues" from the Chinese perspective. Zelensky also said he was convinced that only a country whose territory is under attack can initiate "any peace initiatives." Kremlin on situation in Moldovan region Kremlin also said that it is concerned by the situation in Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region, where it said Ukraine and other European countries were stirring up the situation. Moscow last week told the West that it would view any actions that threatened Russian peacekeepers in Transdniestria as an attack on Russia itself. The warning came amid increased concerns in Moldova, a small ex-Soviet republic located between Romania and Ukraine, of a possible Russian threat. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia weighs in on China's peace plan, says no conditions for peace 'at the moment' in Ukraine

The chief executive of Polish refiner PKN Orlen claimed on Saturday that Russia has halted supplies of oil to Poland via the Druzhba pipeline. The officials also said that the company would tap alternative sources to plug the gap.&nbsp;

The Polish company said in a statement to the news agency AFP, "Deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline towards Poland were stopped by the Russian side."&nbsp;

The news development regarding the halt in supplies via the pipeline came a day after Poland delivered its first Leopard tanks to Ukraine.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-criticises-china-for-betting-on-an-aggressor-565915">Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv criticises China for 'betting on an aggressor'</a>&nbsp;

The pipeline has been exempted from the European Union sanctions which were imposed on Russia in the aftermath of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;

PKN Orlen Chief Executive Daniel Obajtek wrote on Twitter: "We're effectively securing supplies. Russia has halted supplies to Poland, for which we are prepared."&nbsp;

The tweet added, "Only 10% of crude oil has been coming from Russia and we will replace it with oil from other sources."&nbsp;

Reports have mentioned that PKN Orlen had imported about 10 per cent of its oil needs through the pipeline from Russia until now, and the rest from other countries through maritime routes.&nbsp;

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Skutecznie zabezpieczamy dostawy surowców. Rosja wstrzymała dostawy ropy do Polski, na co jesteśmy w pełni przygotowani. Z Rosji pochodziło już tylko 10% surowca i zastąpimy go ropą z innych kierunków. To efekt dywersyfikacji, którą przeprowadziliśmy w ciągu ostatnich lat. 
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As mentioned in the tweet, Poland had also informed earlier this month that it was still buying 10 per cent of its oil supplies from Russia, despite the sanctions. Warsaw had said that it had a "radical plan" to stop all Russian oil imports by the end of 2022.&nbsp;

Maciej Malecki, who is the deputy minister for state assets, told parliament that Poland still has a valid contract with a Russian company Tatneft, which meant that the nation was still buying 200,000 tonnes of oil from Russia each month.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The chief executive of Polish refiner PKN Orlen claimed on Saturday that Russia has halted supplies of oil to Poland via the Druzhba pipeline. The officials also said that the company would tap alternative sources to plug the gap.

The chief executive of Polish refiner PKN Orlen claimed on Saturday that Russia has halted supplies of oil to Poland via the Druzhba pipeline. The officials also said that the company would tap alternative sources to plug the gap. The Polish company said in a statement to the news agency AFP, "Deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline towards Poland were stopped by the Russian side." The news development regarding the halt in supplies via the pipeline came a day after Poland delivered its first Leopard tanks to Ukraine. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv criticises China for 'betting on an aggressor' The pipeline has been exempted from the European Union sanctions which were imposed on Russia in the aftermath of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. PKN Orlen Chief Executive Daniel Obajtek wrote on Twitter: "We're effectively securing supplies. Russia has halted supplies to Poland, for which we are prepared." The tweet added, "Only 10% of crude oil has been coming from Russia and we will replace it with oil from other sources." Reports have mentioned that PKN Orlen had imported about 10 per cent of its oil needs through the pipeline from Russia until now, and the rest from other countries through maritime routes. Skutecznie zabezpieczamy dostawy surowców. Rosja wstrzymała dostawy ropy do Polski, na co jesteśmy w pełni przygotowani. Z Rosji pochodziło już tylko 10% surowca i zastąpimy go ropą z innych kierunków. To efekt dywersyfikacji, którą przeprowadziliśmy w ciągu ostatnich lat. 1/2 — Daniel Obajtek (@DanielObajtek) February 25, 2023 × WATCH | G-20 finance meet, hosted by India, ends without a joint communique × As mentioned in the tweet, Poland had also informed earlier this month that it was still buying 10 per cent of its oil supplies from Russia, despite the sanctions. Warsaw had said that it had a "radical plan" to stop all Russian oil imports by the end of 2022. Maciej Malecki, who is the deputy minister for state assets, told parliament that Poland still has a valid contract with a Russian company Tatneft, which meant that the nation was still buying 200,000 tonnes of oil from Russia each month. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Polish energy group says Russia halted oil pipeline deliveries after Warsaw sends tanks to Kyiv

Russia has accused the West of “destabilising” the G20 finance chiefs’ meeting that took place in India’s southern Bengaluru city. It blamed the US, EU and G7 nations for trying to impose their “diktat” as the talks concluded with differences over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“We regret that the activities of the G20 continue to be destabilised by the Western collective and used in an anti-Russian... way," the foreign ministry said in statement on Saturday, reports AFP news agency.

It claimed that the Western nations "disrupted the adoption of collective decisions" by trying to impose their "diktat" with what they said was "clear blackmail".

“Their aim had been to impose their interpretation of the Ukraine conflict in the joint statement by means of lobbying and ultimatums," said the ministry statement.

<h2>Nirmala Sitharaman meets U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen ahead of Bengaluru G20 meet</h2>

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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g20-meeting-ends-without-joint-statement-after-differences-over-russia-ukraine-conflict-565938">G20 finance meet ends without joint statement after differences over Russia-Ukraine conflict</a>

Moscow said that West should "renounce its destructive policy as soon as possible, to acknowledge the objective realities of a multipolar world".

"The G20 must remain an economic forum rather than encroaching on the security sphere," it said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/german-chancellor-meets-pm-modi-deepening-of-india-germany-ties-in-focus-565780">India ready to contribute to any peace process for resolving Ukraine crisis, says PM Modi</a>

The reaction from Kremlin came hours after the conclusion of the meet where most countries condemned the ongoing conflict in Ukraine but China and Russia declined to sign the joint statement. This led India, which was hosting the two-day event to release a “chair’s summary and outcome document” which is said to simply summarise the talks and noted disagreements.

The confusion seemed to prevail over the “different assessments of the situation and sanctions” referring to the ongoing conflict.

A footnote said that the two paragraphs in the summary about the ongoing conflict “were agreed to by all member countries except Russia and China”.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russia has accused the West of “destabilising” the G20 finance chiefs’ meeting that took place in India’s southern Bengaluru city. It blamed the US, EU and G7 nations for trying to impose their “diktat” as the talks concluded with differences over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Russia has accused the West of “destabilising” the G20 finance chiefs’ meeting that took place in India’s southern Bengaluru city. It blamed the US, EU and G7 nations for trying to impose their “diktat” as the talks concluded with differences over the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “We regret that the activities of the G20 continue to be destabilised by the Western collective and used in an anti-Russian... way," the foreign ministry said in statement on Saturday, reports AFP news agency. It claimed that the Western nations "disrupted the adoption of collective decisions" by trying to impose their "diktat" with what they said was "clear blackmail". “Their aim had been to impose their interpretation of the Ukraine conflict in the joint statement by means of lobbying and ultimatums," said the ministry statement. Nirmala Sitharaman meets U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen ahead of Bengaluru G20 meet Also read | G20 finance meet ends without joint statement after differences over Russia-Ukraine conflict Moscow said that West should "renounce its destructive policy as soon as possible, to acknowledge the objective realities of a multipolar world". "The G20 must remain an economic forum rather than encroaching on the security sphere," it said. Also read | India ready to contribute to any peace process for resolving Ukraine crisis, says PM Modi The reaction from Kremlin came hours after the conclusion of the meet where most countries condemned the ongoing conflict in Ukraine but China and Russia declined to sign the joint statement. This led India, which was hosting the two-day event to release a “chair’s summary and outcome document” which is said to simply summarise the talks and noted disagreements. The confusion seemed to prevail over the “different assessments of the situation and sanctions” referring to the ongoing conflict. A footnote said that the two paragraphs in the summary about the ongoing conflict “were agreed to by all member countries except Russia and China”. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russia accuses West of ‘destabilising’ G20 finance chiefs’ meet in India

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine marked its first-year anniversary, Australia also imposed financial sanctions against 90 Russian individuals and 40 entities and said it will send more drones to Ukraine to aid its fight against Russia. The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday&nbsp;in a statement said, "We continue to stand with Ukraine. The uncrewed aerial systems&nbsp;provide a battlefield intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability for the Ukrainian Armed Forces."

However, Albanese didn't mention how many drones or which models will be shipped, and whether they would be armed.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-announces-new-sanctions-targeting-russian-banks-defence-industry-semiconductor-access-565534">Also read |&nbsp;US announces new sanctions on Russian banks, defence sector, blocks semiconductor access</a>

The sanctions&nbsp;list includes Russian ministers overseeing energy and industry sectors,&nbsp;and key players in defence, including arms manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern, aviation firm Tupolev and submarine developers Admiralty Shipyards.

The sanctions come&nbsp;as the UN with a historic vote demanded Moscow to leave Kyiv "immediately," with a call for "just and lasting" peace.&nbsp;

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Friday&nbsp;told ABC television that she will urge China to take steps to de-escalate the conflict.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-anniversary-biden-to-announce-sanctions-against-russia-at-virtual-g7-meet-friday-565334">Also read | Ukraine war anniversary: Biden to announce sanctions against Russia at virtual G7 meet Friday</a>

Australia has been one of the largest non-NATO contributors to Ukraine with defence aid, ammunition and banned exports of alumina and aluminium ores to Russia.&nbsp;

Since the conflict began in February 2022, Australia has provided around $340 million in military support to Ukraine. It also deployed soldiers in Britain to help train Ukrainian troops and has sanctioned over 1,000 Russian individuals and entities.&nbsp;

The United States also announced sanctions against Russia, the White House said.&nbsp;In coordination with G7 partners and allies, the US Departments of the Treasury and State will implement "sweeping sanctions" against key revenue-generating sectors like defence&nbsp;and banks, besides blocking access to semiconductors.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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As Russia's invasion of Ukraine marked its first-year anniversary, Australia also imposed financial sanctions against 90 Russian individuals and 40 entities and said it will send more drones to Ukraine to aid its fight against Russia.

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine marked its first-year anniversary, Australia also imposed financial sanctions against 90 Russian individuals and 40 entities and said it will send more drones to Ukraine to aid its fight against Russia. The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday in a statement said, "We continue to stand with Ukraine. The uncrewed aerial systems provide a battlefield intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability for the Ukrainian Armed Forces." However, Albanese didn't mention how many drones or which models will be shipped, and whether they would be armed. Also read | US announces new sanctions on Russian banks, defence sector, blocks semiconductor access The sanctions list includes Russian ministers overseeing energy and industry sectors, and key players in defence, including arms manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern, aviation firm Tupolev and submarine developers Admiralty Shipyards. The sanctions come as the UN with a historic vote demanded Moscow to leave Kyiv "immediately," with a call for "just and lasting" peace. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Friday told ABC television that she will urge China to take steps to de-escalate the conflict. Also read | Ukraine war anniversary: Biden to announce sanctions against Russia at virtual G7 meet Friday Australia has been one of the largest non-NATO contributors to Ukraine with defence aid, ammunition and banned exports of alumina and aluminium ores to Russia. Since the conflict began in February 2022, Australia has provided around $340 million in military support to Ukraine. It also deployed soldiers in Britain to help train Ukrainian troops and has sanctioned over 1,000 Russian individuals and entities. The United States also announced sanctions against Russia, the White House said. In coordination with G7 partners and allies, the US Departments of the Treasury and State will implement "sweeping sanctions" against key revenue-generating sectors like defence and banks, besides blocking access to semiconductors. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russia-Ukraine war: After US, Australia imposes new sanctions on Moscow

A German news website claims that Russia is in talks with China to purchase 100 ZT-180 drones. Does this mean China has joined the war? Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: China is reportedly selling drones to Russia

The Russian defence ministry has accused Ukraine of plotting an invasion of Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova. Russia's claim has been dismissed by Moldova. Molly Gambhir explains.

Gravitas | Russia: Ukraine plans to invade transnistria

Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, slammed China for "betting on aggressor" in the aftermath of Beijing's peace proposal.&nbsp;

Podolyak tweeted, "If you claim to be a global player, you don't offer an unrealistic plan. You don't bet on an aggressor who broke international law and will lose the war."&nbsp;

China has said that it hopes to play a constructive role in resolving the issue between Ukraine and Russia and also floated a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation between the warring nations.&nbsp;

ALO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-chinese-manufacturer-negotiating-with-russian-military-over-supply-of-kamikaze-drones-565529">Is Chinese manufacturer negotiating with Russian military for supplying Kamikaze drones?</a>&nbsp;

Russia commented on the plan and said that it welcomed the proposals to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement that Moscow was open to achieving the goals of the "special military operation" through political and diplomatic means.&nbsp;

Zakharova said, "We appreciate the sincere desire of our Chinese friends to contribute to resolving the conflict in Ukraine by peaceful means... We share the views of Beijing."&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;PM Modi: Russia-Ukraine dispute can be resolved via dialogue&nbsp;

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United States President Joe Biden told ABC News after China's proposal in an interview that the idea Beijing would be negotiating the outcome of the Ukraine war was not rational.&nbsp;

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin's applauding it, so how could it be any good? I've seen nothing in the plan that would indicate that there is something that would be beneficial to anyone other than Russia if the Chinese plan were followed," Biden said. &nbsp;

"The idea that China is going to be negotiating the outcome of a war that's a totally unjust war for Ukraine is just not rational," he added.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Saturday that he will visit China in early April. His official visit is seen as an attempt to seek Chinese help with ending the Russia-Ukraine war.&nbsp;

While talking about the so-called peace plan, Biden said that the fact that China engages in peace efforts is a "good thing".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

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Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, slammed China for "betting on aggressor" in the aftermath of Beijing's peace proposal. Podolyak tweeted, "If you claim to be a global player, you don't offer an unrealistic plan.

Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, slammed China for "betting on aggressor" in the aftermath of Beijing's peace proposal. Podolyak tweeted, "If you claim to be a global player, you don't offer an unrealistic plan. You don't bet on an aggressor who broke international law and will lose the war." China has said that it hopes to play a constructive role in resolving the issue between Ukraine and Russia and also floated a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation between the warring nations. ALO READ | Is Chinese manufacturer negotiating with Russian military for supplying Kamikaze drones? Russia commented on the plan and said that it welcomed the proposals to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement that Moscow was open to achieving the goals of the "special military operation" through political and diplomatic means. Zakharova said, "We appreciate the sincere desire of our Chinese friends to contribute to resolving the conflict in Ukraine by peaceful means... We share the views of Beijing." WATCH | PM Modi: Russia-Ukraine dispute can be resolved via dialogue × United States President Joe Biden told ABC News after China's proposal in an interview that the idea Beijing would be negotiating the outcome of the Ukraine war was not rational. "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin's applauding it, so how could it be any good? I've seen nothing in the plan that would indicate that there is something that would be beneficial to anyone other than Russia if the Chinese plan were followed," Biden said. "The idea that China is going to be negotiating the outcome of a war that's a totally unjust war for Ukraine is just not rational," he added. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Saturday that he will visit China in early April. His official visit is seen as an attempt to seek Chinese help with ending the Russia-Ukraine war. While talking about the so-called peace plan, Biden said that the fact that China engages in peace efforts is a "good thing". (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv criticises China for 'betting on an aggressor'

One year into the Ukraine war, we have a clear winner. So, which side has won the war? Molly Gambhir tells you.

Gravitas: The winner of the Ukraine war

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday (February 24) that his government is sending four additional Leopard 2 tanks to war-torn Ukraine as Russia's offensive marked one year. With this, Canada has pledged eight such tanks to Ukraine. Prime Minister Trudeau also announced that the government is sanctioning an additional 192 Russian individuals and entities, the news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

Speaking to reporters, Trudeau said on Friday, "Canada has stood in solidarity with Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. We will continue to do so." The Canadian Prime Minister decried Russian President Vladimir Putin's "war of aggression" and called him "dangerous, cowardly and weak."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/some-nato-members-tell-ukraine-to-consider-peace-talks-despite-giving-combat-weapons-to-kyiv-report-565676">Some NATO members tell Ukraine to consider 'peace talks' despite giving combat weapons to Kyiv: Report</a>

"He (Putin) underestimated Ukrainians, and he underestimated the solidarity of their friends around the world... but today, we are stronger and more unified than ever," Trudeau added.&nbsp;

The new sanctions by Ottawa target Russian lawmakers who have supported Moscow's offensive in Ukraine, including ministers in Putin's cabinet, the military and defence sector as well as family members of individuals already on the sanctions list of Canada.

Russia's ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov said the sanctions imposed by Ottawa and Western countries were meaningless, the TASS news agency reported. "Our citizens who are on the list look at such measures with a smile, This is a sign of the helplessness of the anti-Russian camp, which hates Russia, but understands that we cannot be defeated," Stepanov said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/german-chancellor-meets-pm-modi-deepening-of-india-germany-ties-in-focus-565780">India ready to contribute to any peace process for resolving Ukraine crisis, says PM Modi</a>

Besides sending more Leopard tanks, Canada is also sending an armoured recovery vehicle and munitions to Ukraine.&nbsp;

Canada has joined other G7 members who unveiled similar measures. Prime Minister Trudeau also said on Friday that since the beginning of the war in February 2022, his government has provided more than $3.67 billion in support to Ukraine.

Earlier on Friday, Canada announced over $23.5 million in support, including funds for demining projects and to counter chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.

(With inputs from agencies) 
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday (February 24) that his government is sending four additional Leopard 2 tanks to war-torn Ukraine as Russia's offensive marked one year.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday (February 24) that his government is sending four additional Leopard 2 tanks to war-torn Ukraine as Russia's offensive marked one year. With this, Canada has pledged eight such tanks to Ukraine. Prime Minister Trudeau also announced that the government is sanctioning an additional 192 Russian individuals and entities, the news agency AFP reported. Speaking to reporters, Trudeau said on Friday, "Canada has stood in solidarity with Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. We will continue to do so." The Canadian Prime Minister decried Russian President Vladimir Putin's "war of aggression" and called him "dangerous, cowardly and weak." ALSO READ | Some NATO members tell Ukraine to consider 'peace talks' despite giving combat weapons to Kyiv: Report "He (Putin) underestimated Ukrainians, and he underestimated the solidarity of their friends around the world... but today, we are stronger and more unified than ever," Trudeau added. The new sanctions by Ottawa target Russian lawmakers who have supported Moscow's offensive in Ukraine, including ministers in Putin's cabinet, the military and defence sector as well as family members of individuals already on the sanctions list of Canada. Russia's ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov said the sanctions imposed by Ottawa and Western countries were meaningless, the TASS news agency reported. "Our citizens who are on the list look at such measures with a smile, This is a sign of the helplessness of the anti-Russian camp, which hates Russia, but understands that we cannot be defeated," Stepanov said. ALSO READ | India ready to contribute to any peace process for resolving Ukraine crisis, says PM Modi Besides sending more Leopard tanks, Canada is also sending an armoured recovery vehicle and munitions to Ukraine. Canada has joined other G7 members who unveiled similar measures. Prime Minister Trudeau also said on Friday that since the beginning of the war in February 2022, his government has provided more than $3.67 billion in support to Ukraine. Earlier on Friday, Canada announced over $23.5 million in support, including funds for demining projects and to counter chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ukraine war: Canada pledges 4 more Leopard tanks to Kyiv; imposes new sanctions on Russia

India has been insisting&nbsp;for resolving the Ukraine crisis through dialogue and diplomacy from the start&nbsp;and is ready to contribute to any peace process, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday (February 25) at a joint press briefing in New Delhi with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who began his two-day visit to the country earlier in the day.

"Since the beginning of the developments in Ukraine, India has laid emphasis on resolving this dispute through dialogue and diplomacy. India is ready to contribute to any peace process,"&nbsp; Modi said while addressing the briefing.

Deepening of trade and defence ties remains in focus as Scholz visits India for the first time after assuming charge as the European nation's leader in December 2021. His arrival, a day after the first anniversary of the Ukraine war, signals Delhi's growing importance to Western powers, seeking backing for their opposition to Russia's invasion.

In his remarks, Modi also laid emphasis on action against terrorism and climate crisis.&nbsp;"There is active cooperation between India and Germany in the fight against terrorism and separatism. Both countries also agree that concrete action is necessary to end cross-border terrorism,"&nbsp;he added.&nbsp; 
 
"Apart from being our largest trading partner in Europe, Germany is also an important source of investment in India. In the last few years. India and Germany are working together on green and sustainable partnerships, climate action and sustainable development goals, green hydrogen and biofuel," Modi underlined, stressing that "the strong ties are based on shared democratic values ​​and deep understanding of each other's interests."

Recalling&nbsp;his last visit to India, the German Chancellor said,&nbsp;"A lot has changed since I visited India last time. India is indeed developing. I and PM Modi have similar ideas. We have been cooperative; we have been discussing matters. I am pleased that India has the presidency of G20 this year." 
 
The two world leaders last met at the G7 summit in June 2022. "Ukraine-Russia is a major catastrophe because we know this war violates the economic principles that we all agreed to.&nbsp;The world is suffering because of the consequences of Russia's aggression," Scholz pointed out.

The German leader<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/olaf-scholzs-visit-to-india-germany-to-pursue-52-billion-submarine-deal-says-sources-565576"> is also expected to pursue a $5.2 billion deal with India</a> to jointly build six conventional submarines, news agency Reuters reported, citing people aware of the details.&nbsp; On Saturday morning, after he was received by Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary, Scholz was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President's House.

Also watch | German Chancellor Olaf Scholz quotes India's Jaishankar at Munich conference

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Accompanied by top German officials and high-powered delegation, the Chancellor will be visiting India's southern city of Bengaluru on Sunday, which is hailed as the country's tech capital.&nbsp;"We need talent, we need skilled workers. The development of IT and software is booming in India, and many capable companies are here in India. India has so much talent and we want to benefit from that corporation. We want to recruit, and attract that talent in Germany," Scholz said on Saturday. About 1,800 German companies are active in India and have given thousands of job, he further underlined.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="wionews.com/world/german-chancellor-scholz-says-russia-has-stopped-threatening-to-use-nuclear-weapons-541077">German chancellor Scholz says 'Russia has stopped threatening to use nuclear weapons'</a>

At the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, Scholz echoed India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar's views when he said: "Europe has to get out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems but the world's problems are not Europe's problems". Jaishankar made similar remarks last year amid the Ukraine war and growing sanctions against Russia.

New Delhi has a long history of defence ties with Moscow, and it has also resisted the pressure to stop fuel import from Russia amid widening rifts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western leaders. While India has abstained from voting against Russia at the United Nations, it has been insisting on peaceful resolution of differences ever since the Ukraine war started on February 24, 2022.&nbsp; The conflict, one of the worst in Europe in decades, has led to surge in food and fuel prices worldwide.

(With inputs from agencies)

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India has been insisting for resolving the Ukraine crisis through dialogue and diplomacy from the start and is ready to contribute to any peace process, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday (February 25) at a joint press briefing in New Delhi with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who began his two-day visit to the country earlier in the day.

India has been insisting for resolving the Ukraine crisis through dialogue and diplomacy from the start and is ready to contribute to any peace process, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday (February 25) at a joint press briefing in New Delhi with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who began his two-day visit to the country earlier in the day. "Since the beginning of the developments in Ukraine, India has laid emphasis on resolving this dispute through dialogue and diplomacy. India is ready to contribute to any peace process," Modi said while addressing the briefing. Deepening of trade and defence ties remains in focus as Scholz visits India for the first time after assuming charge as the European nation's leader in December 2021. His arrival, a day after the first anniversary of the Ukraine war, signals Delhi's growing importance to Western powers, seeking backing for their opposition to Russia's invasion. In his remarks, Modi also laid emphasis on action against terrorism and climate crisis. "There is active cooperation between India and Germany in the fight against terrorism and separatism. Both countries also agree that concrete action is necessary to end cross-border terrorism," he added. "Apart from being our largest trading partner in Europe, Germany is also an important source of investment in India. In the last few years. India and Germany are working together on green and sustainable partnerships, climate action and sustainable development goals, green hydrogen and biofuel," Modi underlined, stressing that "the strong ties are based on shared democratic values and deep understanding of each other's interests." Recalling his last visit to India, the German Chancellor said, "A lot has changed since I visited India last time. India is indeed developing. I and PM Modi have similar ideas. We have been cooperative; we have been discussing matters. I am pleased that India has the presidency of G20 this year." The two world leaders last met at the G7 summit in June 2022. "Ukraine-Russia is a major catastrophe because we know this war violates the economic principles that we all agreed to. The world is suffering because of the consequences of Russia's aggression," Scholz pointed out. The German leader is also expected to pursue a $5.2 billion deal with India to jointly build six conventional submarines, news agency Reuters reported, citing people aware of the details. On Saturday morning, after he was received by Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary, Scholz was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President's House. Also watch | German Chancellor Olaf Scholz quotes India's Jaishankar at Munich conference × Accompanied by top German officials and high-powered delegation, the Chancellor will be visiting India's southern city of Bengaluru on Sunday, which is hailed as the country's tech capital. "We need talent, we need skilled workers. The development of IT and software is booming in India, and many capable companies are here in India. India has so much talent and we want to benefit from that corporation. We want to recruit, and attract that talent in Germany," Scholz said on Saturday. About 1,800 German companies are active in India and have given thousands of job, he further underlined. Also read: German chancellor Scholz says 'Russia has stopped threatening to use nuclear weapons' At the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, Scholz echoed India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar's views when he said: "Europe has to get out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems but the world's problems are not Europe's problems". Jaishankar made similar remarks last year amid the Ukraine war and growing sanctions against Russia. New Delhi has a long history of defence ties with Moscow, and it has also resisted the pressure to stop fuel import from Russia amid widening rifts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western leaders. While India has abstained from voting against Russia at the United Nations, it has been insisting on peaceful resolution of differences ever since the Ukraine war started on February 24, 2022. The conflict, one of the worst in Europe in decades, has led to surge in food and fuel prices worldwide. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India ready to contribute to any peace process for resolving Ukraine crisis, says PM Modi

Prominent European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) apparently advocated a defence pact with war-ravaged Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.&nbsp;

On the completion of one year of the Russia-Ukraine war, the report highlighted the attempts by French and German leaders as they told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he needs to consider peace talks later this year.&nbsp;

The NATO allies have tried to present a united front during the war but such reports and statements have also shown disagreements and differences. The report also underlines doubts and growing concerns raised by a few Western partners over Kyiv's ability to reconquer all its territory.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-a-turning-point-not-a-roadblock-for-indian-medical-students-565459">Russia-Ukraine war: A turning point, not a roadblock for Indian medical students</a>

The report stated that government officials from Germany, France and Britain said that these nations see stronger ties between NATO and Ukraine, which is a way to encourage Kyiv to start peace talks with Russia despite Moscow's ongoing efforts to occupy Ukrainian territory.&nbsp;

The West is mulling over supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine to help in its fight against Russia by hitting deep inside Russian territories. The war-torn nation has also urged for fighter jets.&nbsp;

Recently, the Ukrainian allies agreed to send battle tanks after delays, with Poland delivering the first Leopard 2 battle tanks on Friday, the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;This World: What's next in the Ukraine war?

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<h2>A unified West for Ukraine?&nbsp;</h2>

Last week, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Saturday (February 18) as the leaders gathered in Germany to attend the annual Munich Security Conference.&nbsp;

He also said Western allies should consider how to ensure that Russia pays towards the reconstruction of Ukraine once the war has ended, and said the global community needed to recognize that a new framework was required to maintain long-term security.

Though the UK so far refused to send fighter jets, but Sunak said last week that Britain could help in other ways as he said that the nation would help other countries which were willing to send aircraft to Ukraine.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-chinese-manufacturer-negotiating-with-russian-military-over-supply-of-kamikaze-drones-565529">Is Chinese manufacturer negotiating with Russian military for supplying Kamikaze drones?</a>

Sunak also referred to the post-war scenario as he said that Western allies should consider how to ensure that Russia pays towards the reconstruction of Ukraine once the war has ended.&nbsp;

He said that from human rights to "reckless" nuclear threats, from Georgia to Moldova, Russia has committed "violation after violation" against countries outside the collective security of NATO.&nbsp;

The report mentioned Sunak's stance as he called for an agreement to give Ukraine access to advanced military equipment to defend itself once the war ends. He further noted that the plan should be on the agenda for NATO's annual meeting in July.&nbsp;

As per the report, the French, German and British officials said that all three governments see it as a way to boost Ukrainian confidence and give the government there an incentive to start talks with Russia.&nbsp;

However, the report mentioned that the officials carefully said that it's entirely up to Ukraine to decide when and under what conditions it will start the peace talks.&nbsp;

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Prominent European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) apparently advocated a defence pact with war-ravaged Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

Prominent European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) apparently advocated a defence pact with war-ravaged Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. On the completion of one year of the Russia-Ukraine war, the report highlighted the attempts by French and German leaders as they told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he needs to consider peace talks later this year. The NATO allies have tried to present a united front during the war but such reports and statements have also shown disagreements and differences. The report also underlines doubts and growing concerns raised by a few Western partners over Kyiv's ability to reconquer all its territory. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine war: A turning point, not a roadblock for Indian medical students The report stated that government officials from Germany, France and Britain said that these nations see stronger ties between NATO and Ukraine, which is a way to encourage Kyiv to start peace talks with Russia despite Moscow's ongoing efforts to occupy Ukrainian territory. The West is mulling over supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine to help in its fight against Russia by hitting deep inside Russian territories. The war-torn nation has also urged for fighter jets. Recently, the Ukrainian allies agreed to send battle tanks after delays, with Poland delivering the first Leopard 2 battle tanks on Friday, the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion. WATCH | This World: What's next in the Ukraine war? × A unified West for Ukraine? Last week, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Saturday (February 18) as the leaders gathered in Germany to attend the annual Munich Security Conference. He also said Western allies should consider how to ensure that Russia pays towards the reconstruction of Ukraine once the war has ended, and said the global community needed to recognize that a new framework was required to maintain long-term security. Though the UK so far refused to send fighter jets, but Sunak said last week that Britain could help in other ways as he said that the nation would help other countries which were willing to send aircraft to Ukraine. ALSO READ | Is Chinese manufacturer negotiating with Russian military for supplying Kamikaze drones? Sunak also referred to the post-war scenario as he said that Western allies should consider how to ensure that Russia pays towards the reconstruction of Ukraine once the war has ended. He said that from human rights to "reckless" nuclear threats, from Georgia to Moldova, Russia has committed "violation after violation" against countries outside the collective security of NATO. The report mentioned Sunak's stance as he called for an agreement to give Ukraine access to advanced military equipment to defend itself once the war ends. He further noted that the plan should be on the agenda for NATO's annual meeting in July. As per the report, the French, German and British officials said that all three governments see it as a way to boost Ukrainian confidence and give the government there an incentive to start talks with Russia. However, the report mentioned that the officials carefully said that it's entirely up to Ukraine to decide when and under what conditions it will start the peace talks. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Some NATO members tell Ukraine to consider 'peace talks' despite giving combat weapons to Kyiv: Report

In February 2022, about 11 weeks after New Delhi and Moscow signed a joint statement titled ‘India-Russia Partnership for Peace, Progress and Prosperity’, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced 'special military operations' in the predominantly Russian-speaking <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/key-city-in-donbas-largely-under-russian-control-says-ukraine-486382">Donbas region</a> of Ukraine.&nbsp;

"I hope you hear me," Putin <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq6LcYDVsw8">said</a> on February 24, 2022, pointing towards the West. "Anyone who considers interfering from outside, you will face consequences greater than you have ever faced in history," he said while declaring the offensive which, according to a US military estimate, has resulted in 100,000 military casualties on both Russian and Ukrainian sides so far.

Putin’s declaration put countries with whom Moscow shares ‘special’ or ‘privileged’ bilateral ties – such as India, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Turkey among others –- in a rare geopolitical tight spot. For months, Russia was holding a gun to Ukraine’s head, citing ‘security challenges’ such as an eastward expansion of NATO despite West’s past diplomatic assurances against the same.&nbsp;

That day, Putin pulled the trigger, shooting much of the Russian diplomatic capital in the West, and sending combative shockwaves across the Global South. The term Global South has come to be associated with the countries that were left out of the industrialisation wave, mostly the nations in the regions of Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

At its centre continues to be a geopolitically rising India, with a long history of bilateral bonhomie with Russia and the erstwhile Soviet Union.

<h2>India: A sane voice amid the war cry</h2>

India's careful geopolitical navigation was visible on February 23rd when New Delhi abstained from a non-binding&nbsp;UN vote that called upon Moscow to end hostilities against Kyiv.&nbsp;India's permanent representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi while asserting&nbsp;that "no solution can ever arrive at the cost of human lives".&nbsp;India, while recognising the&nbsp;"inherent limitations" of the said resolution, added&nbsp;that it is "constrained to abstain" and that&nbsp;only viable way out of the conflict are "dialogue and diplomacy".

ALSO WATCH&nbsp;|&nbsp;How has the Russia- Ukraine war changed the word?

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India's voice has been that of&nbsp;restraint, that&nbsp;maintains&nbsp;its signature strategic autonomy, while calling for the ‘cessation of hostilities’ and upholding of the UN charter, according to experts. At the same time, India’s reaction to the Russian military action has been rooted in protecting New Delhi’s national interests with its desire to reduce hostilities between the two sides, they say.&nbsp;

“India has been following the buildup of tensions for the last several years and always knew that this was no ordinary conflict or war in the classical sense. It is a multilayered conflict with deep roots in history,” said Pankaj Saran, India’s former deputy National Security Advisor (2018- 2021), a job he took soon after returning from Moscow as India’s envoy (2016-2018). Saran is currently the convenor of New Delhi-based Centre for Research on Security and Strategic Issues.

“The issues involved relate to the fundamentals of the European security architecture,” Saran told WION, referring to the security implications of the US-led transatlantic alliance.

Anil Wadhwa, India’s former envoy to Italy, Poland and Lithuania, Thailand, and Oman, added that New Delhi’s response to the war has been characterised by ‘restraint’, that is, “condemnation of the civilian killings and abstention from the votes on the UN resolutions by the United States and West”.&nbsp;

“This is not an isolated position,” Wadhwa said, while referring to the multilateral posturing of the countries such as the UAE, South Africa, Israel and Turkey in relation to the ongoing war. &nbsp;

During the one year of war, in its abstentions from the UN votes condemning Russian actions against Ukraine, India has often found itself in the company of South Africa and China – two of its BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) partners. Individually, despite their bilateral issues, both New Delhi and Beijing have courted Moscow to ‘end the war’. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s famous ‘<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/todays-era-must-not-be-of-war-g20-draft-communique-uses-indian-pm-modis-remarks-to-putin-534278">today’s era is not of war</a>’ pitch to Vladimir Putin found its place in the Bali G20 declaration, shadowing a much-complicated geopolitical challenge as New Delhi took over the G20 presidency — during what has now become the second year of war in Ukraine.

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In February 2022, about 11 weeks after New Delhi and Moscow signed a joint statement titled ‘India-Russia Partnership for Peace, Progress and Prosperity’, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced 'special military operations' in the predominantly Russian-speaking Donbas region of Ukraine.

In February 2022, about 11 weeks after New Delhi and Moscow signed a joint statement titled ‘India-Russia Partnership for Peace, Progress and Prosperity’, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced 'special military operations' in the predominantly Russian-speaking Donbas region of Ukraine. "I hope you hear me," Putin said on February 24, 2022, pointing towards the West. "Anyone who considers interfering from outside, you will face consequences greater than you have ever faced in history," he said while declaring the offensive which, according to a US military estimate, has resulted in 100,000 military casualties on both Russian and Ukrainian sides so far. Putin’s declaration put countries with whom Moscow shares ‘special’ or ‘privileged’ bilateral ties – such as India, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Turkey among others –- in a rare geopolitical tight spot. For months, Russia was holding a gun to Ukraine’s head, citing ‘security challenges’ such as an eastward expansion of NATO despite West’s past diplomatic assurances against the same. That day, Putin pulled the trigger, shooting much of the Russian diplomatic capital in the West, and sending combative shockwaves across the Global South. The term Global South has come to be associated with the countries that were left out of the industrialisation wave, mostly the nations in the regions of Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. At its centre continues to be a geopolitically rising India, with a long history of bilateral bonhomie with Russia and the erstwhile Soviet Union. India: A sane voice amid the war cry India's careful geopolitical navigation was visible on February 23rd when New Delhi abstained from a non-binding UN vote that called upon Moscow to end hostilities against Kyiv. India's permanent representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi while asserting that "no solution can ever arrive at the cost of human lives". India, while recognising the "inherent limitations" of the said resolution, added that it is "constrained to abstain" and that only viable way out of the conflict are "dialogue and diplomacy". ALSO WATCH | How has the Russia- Ukraine war changed the word? × India's voice has been that of restraint, that maintains its signature strategic autonomy, while calling for the ‘cessation of hostilities’ and upholding of the UN charter, according to experts. At the same time, India’s reaction to the Russian military action has been rooted in protecting New Delhi’s national interests with its desire to reduce hostilities between the two sides, they say. “India has been following the buildup of tensions for the last several years and always knew that this was no ordinary conflict or war in the classical sense. It is a multilayered conflict with deep roots in history,” said Pankaj Saran, India’s former deputy National Security Advisor (2018- 2021), a job he took soon after returning from Moscow as India’s envoy (2016-2018). Saran is currently the convenor of New Delhi-based Centre for Research on Security and Strategic Issues. “The issues involved relate to the fundamentals of the European security architecture,” Saran told WION, referring to the security implications of the US-led transatlantic alliance. Anil Wadhwa, India’s former envoy to Italy, Poland and Lithuania, Thailand, and Oman, added that New Delhi’s response to the war has been characterised by ‘restraint’, that is, “condemnation of the civilian killings and abstention from the votes on the UN resolutions by the United States and West”. “This is not an isolated position,” Wadhwa said, while referring to the multilateral posturing of the countries such as the UAE, South Africa, Israel and Turkey in relation to the ongoing war. During the one year of war, in its abstentions from the UN votes condemning Russian actions against Ukraine, India has often found itself in the company of South Africa and China – two of its BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) partners. Individually, despite their bilateral issues, both New Delhi and Beijing have courted Moscow to ‘end the war’. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s famous ‘today’s era is not of war’ pitch to Vladimir Putin found its place in the Bali G20 declaration, shadowing a much-complicated geopolitical challenge as New Delhi took over the G20 presidency — during what has now become the second year of war in Ukraine. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war anniversary: India's 'mature' geopolitical navigation amid pressure is in spotlight

China on Thursday (February 23) slammed the United States intelligence saying that the claims or reports of weapons transfer by Beijing to Moscow for the ongoing Ukraine war were just "speculations".&nbsp;

Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a regular briefing that the so-called intelligence from the US side is nothing but an attempt to smear Beijing.&nbsp;

The remark was a reaction to a report by the Wall Street Journal, which noted that the US government is considering releasing intelligence on China considering supplying weapons to Russia.&nbsp;

Wang said, "Since the outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine, China has been firmly on the side of dialogue and peace, and has played a responsible and constructive role in easing the situation and resolving the crisis by persuading and promoting peace talks in its own way."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/janet-yellen-calls-for-fresh-sanctions-on-russia-as-g20-finance-chiefs-gather-in-india-565184">Janet Yellen calls for fresh sanctions on Russia as G20 finance chiefs gather in India</a>&nbsp;

The spokesperson slammed America, stating that the "largest arms provider on the battlefield of Ukraine" keeps smearing the Chinese side for possibly supplying arms to Russia.&nbsp;

He said that such accusations will interfere with the process of a political settlement on the Ukrainian crisis, and will also damage Sino-US relations.&nbsp;

He said, "We urge the US side to stop smearing, relegating responsibilities and adding fuel to the fire irresponsibly, and to work with China and the international community to promote diplomatic negotiations to resolve the crisis."&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Where is the war headed in Ukraine?&nbsp;

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<h2>'Normal trade exchanges with Russia'&nbsp;</h2>

The spokesperson also mentioned that China is maintaining normal exchanges in trade and cooperation with Russia, amid rising concerns by the West over greater alignment between Beijing and Moscow.&nbsp;

Wang told reporters: "China and Russia maintain close communication at multiple levels to promote the development of bilateral relations and contribute to the maintenance of world peace and development."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/on-paks-economic-challenges-jaishankars-basic-industry-is-terror-remark-565178">On Pak's economic challenges, Jaishankar's 'basic industry is terror' remark</a>&nbsp;

China has been branding itself as a peacemaker in the Ukraine war, but some diplomats and analysts claimed that it is an attempt to burnish its image rather than a change of stance.&nbsp;

As quoted by the news agency Reuters, Li Mingjiang, associate professor of international relations at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said: "At the moment, China’s peace effort will stay at the rhetorical level."&nbsp;

"It's difficult to imagine China taking actual action to mediate between Russia and Ukraine any time soon...this is China’s small posture change, not any substantive policy adjustment on the war," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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China on Thursday (February 23) slammed the United States intelligence saying that the claims or reports of weapons transfer by Beijing to Moscow for the ongoing Ukraine war were just "speculations".

China on Thursday (February 23) slammed the United States intelligence saying that the claims or reports of weapons transfer by Beijing to Moscow for the ongoing Ukraine war were just "speculations". Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a regular briefing that the so-called intelligence from the US side is nothing but an attempt to smear Beijing. The remark was a reaction to a report by the Wall Street Journal, which noted that the US government is considering releasing intelligence on China considering supplying weapons to Russia. Wang said, "Since the outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine, China has been firmly on the side of dialogue and peace, and has played a responsible and constructive role in easing the situation and resolving the crisis by persuading and promoting peace talks in its own way." ALSO READ | Janet Yellen calls for fresh sanctions on Russia as G20 finance chiefs gather in India The spokesperson slammed America, stating that the "largest arms provider on the battlefield of Ukraine" keeps smearing the Chinese side for possibly supplying arms to Russia. He said that such accusations will interfere with the process of a political settlement on the Ukrainian crisis, and will also damage Sino-US relations. He said, "We urge the US side to stop smearing, relegating responsibilities and adding fuel to the fire irresponsibly, and to work with China and the international community to promote diplomatic negotiations to resolve the crisis." WATCH | Where is the war headed in Ukraine? × 'Normal trade exchanges with Russia' The spokesperson also mentioned that China is maintaining normal exchanges in trade and cooperation with Russia, amid rising concerns by the West over greater alignment between Beijing and Moscow. Wang told reporters: "China and Russia maintain close communication at multiple levels to promote the development of bilateral relations and contribute to the maintenance of world peace and development." ALSO READ | On Pak's economic challenges, Jaishankar's 'basic industry is terror' remark China has been branding itself as a peacemaker in the Ukraine war, but some diplomats and analysts claimed that it is an attempt to burnish its image rather than a change of stance. As quoted by the news agency Reuters, Li Mingjiang, associate professor of international relations at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said: "At the moment, China’s peace effort will stay at the rhetorical level." "It's difficult to imagine China taking actual action to mediate between Russia and Ukraine any time soon...this is China’s small posture change, not any substantive policy adjustment on the war," he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China slams US ‘intelligence’, says claims of Beijing giving weapons to Russia mere ‘speculation’

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday sent out a hard-hitting message to the West and talked about suspending a nuclear arms control pact that it holds with the US, the New START treaty.&nbsp;

"... if the United States conducts tests, then we will. No one should have dangerous illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed," Putin said.&nbsp;

This once again heightened concerns over a possible nuclear threat as the world's two main nuclear powers come face-to-face.&nbsp;

But how real are Putin's threats?&nbsp;

India's former ambassador to Turkey and Uzbekistan and Author of “Uncle Sam's Nuclear Cabin”, M.K. Bhadrakumar, spoke with WION and shared his razor-sharp observations on what significance Putin's nuclear threats have. He also spoke about the US thinking and how India's steadfast position on the Ukraine war reflects the nation’s well-founded foreign policy.&nbsp;

The envoy cut to the chase and said, "The nuclear threat is more of a hoax."&nbsp;

"It is political. One must understand that Russians have a clear nuclear doctrine, which is registered with the UN and is the country’s legislation as well. Putin or anyone cannot change it arbitrarily."

The world first believed that Russia would capture Ukraine in a matter of days but now discussions are around whether Putin's nuclear threat is real and can actually lead to a global disaster.

Bhadrakumar detailed what Russia's doctrine actually entails. "It spells out very clearly that nuclear power will be used in certain situations. Like, if the Russian state comes under threat or its existence is in danger, and the Ukraine conflict does not really come to that."&nbsp;

When can a shift really happen in the nuke status quo?

The former diplomat said the doctrine can "only change if there is a direct NATO intervention in Ukraine."&nbsp; 
 
"(US President Joe) Biden is quite mindful of it and that is why he keeps saying that there is no question of putting boots on the ground or NATO interfering in the war."&nbsp;

In any case, Bhadrakumar pointed out, even if the US wants, the other NATO powers are not going to go along with it.&nbsp;

"They know a confrontation of that kind between NATO and Russia will develop into a nuclear confrontation and Europe will be in the crossfire."&nbsp;

Nuclear threat: A propaganda tool

Nuclear threat, the former envoy said, is propaganda to create certain narratives.&nbsp;

By talking about the suspension of the New START treaty, Putin has put the ball in the American court, he said. "Now Biden cannot go on and escalate&nbsp;because if he escalates now, Russians will walk out of the New START treaty completely."&nbsp;

The Russian foreign ministry issued a statement&nbsp;after Putin’s treaty suspension speech, clarifying that they will nonetheless observe the terms of the treaty till 2026.&nbsp;

“That (talk of New START treaty suspension) is clearly to compel the US to exercise self-restraint because if US goes ahead and escalates like this and Russians walk out, then Europe is in a mess. Europe has two nuclear powers and Germany and Italy will also now want nuclear deterrence of their own, then what happens with NATO? NATO becomes redundant."&nbsp;

He stressed that Americans know all this. "It is a different ball game that is being played there. What Russians have done is to compel the US to strategically engage with Russia and that means all issues connected to security will be on the table."&nbsp;

"This is nothing about nuclear war, this is more about nuclear diplomacy."&nbsp;

By nuclear diplomacy, he said, Russians hope to bring matters to the negotiating table.&nbsp;

"Security is not divisible, like you cannot just handle nuclear security, there has to be mutual trust, mutual confidence, various underpinnings have to be built into it and so on but the Americans will have no choice but to engage with Russians.”

“Russians will then say you can not give long-range weapons to Ukraine and you cannot induct Ukraine as a NATO member and so on."&nbsp;

Searching for a thaw? The Nuland interview

Speaking about US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland's interview with TASS news agency, the envoy said, if one looks closely they will note that there are many backdoor talks which go on.&nbsp;

Notably, in an interview with the agency, Nuland said that the United States is ready to start talks with Russia on the New START nuclear arms control treaty "tomorrow" without preconditions and accusations if Moscow is prepared for this.&nbsp;

"She would not have said it without instructions from Biden himself."

He said that Americans are now ready to talk as otherwise, it can lead to the demolition of NATO and the transatlantic system and all nuclear threshold states in Europe like Turkey, Poland, Germany, and Italy will all become nuclear states. "And if there is no nuclear architecture everyone will go for deterrent capability on its own."&nbsp;

And then what happens?&nbsp;

He said, "It will be free for all."&nbsp;

"And what is the requirement of an alliance if all develop their own deterrent capabilities?" the envoy questioned.&nbsp;

"South Arabia will go for it, Iran, South Korea... so many threshold states are there... Egypt."&nbsp;

"Americans know that after that, there conventional superiority... military superiority becomes irrelevant."&nbsp;

"And if the other side has nuclear capabilities they checkmate American power. So this is the brilliant game that the Russians have played by bringing these things to the fore. So there are no winners after this."&nbsp;

He underscored that the conventional military superiority of the US cannot be translated in geopolitical terms.&nbsp;

"Saddam Hussein did not have weapons (of mass destruction)....suppose Saddam Hussain had weapons or Muammar Gaddafi had weapons. They would not have met with that miserable fate. So a number of countries are going to think along those lines."

After all, in the case of Russia, the former envoy underlined, the country cannot lose this war. "Russia cannot be defeated only because it is someone with nuclear capability."&nbsp;

"Because if they are down, they will take the Americans along with them. Biden knows in any case the game is up.. it will be all order or complete anarchy."&nbsp;

Ukraine can make a ‘dirty bomb?’

In the latest IAEA report, the UN nuclear watchdog elaborated on nuclear safety in Ukraine. It noted that the nuclear plant Zaporizhzhia NPP, which Russian troops entered on March 4, 2022, remains under Russian control.

On a discussion over the report, the Ambassador said Zaporizhzhia&nbsp;NPP is an entirely different category and has nothing to do with nuclear weapons.&nbsp;

"It is in terms of energy security. It caters to the bulk of Ukraine's power grid. If these provinces are going to be part of Russia, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donbas province and so on, their economic viability will depend on power supplies and it will help Russia quite a lot."&nbsp;

Going back to the main issue of nuclear threat, the envoy said, "Second aspect is that unless they are not in control…there is always a possibility that Ukraine is a nuclear threshold state. So in these kinds of anarchical conditions, they can always go nuclear and they can always make the dirty bomb."

"Russian raised this in the UNSC and I was asked to come and look into it whether Ukraine is already doing it or not. So, NPP is entirely different, it has nothing to do with nuclear war."&nbsp;

India's steadfast stand on the Russia-Ukraine war

India's position on the Russia-Ukraine war has remained constant. Even under western pressure, India did not waver.&nbsp;

"India has the professionalism to understand what is happening. The confusion arises only in the mind of uninformed people but as far as decision-makers are concerned keep them separate."

He said Indian PM Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar have all the facts at their disposal.&nbsp;

"They will not get agitated and India's policy towards the war is well-founded on the basis of other larger considerations. Everyone knows it and Jaishankar's remarks at MSC make it abundantly clear that India has understood that this is about the world order."

"The transatlantic alliance cannot dictate any further terms.. that is about western hegemony."

"The war is an unprecedented confrontation between big powers. So, it is an entirely different ball game and world order that is going to prevail in the 21st century and in the coming decades. It is very clear that India's strategic autonomy is well-founded."

&nbsp;

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday sent out a hard-hitting message to the West and talked about suspending a nuclear arms control pact that it holds with the US, the New START treaty.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday sent out a hard-hitting message to the West and talked about suspending a nuclear arms control pact that it holds with the US, the New START treaty. "... if the United States conducts tests, then we will. No one should have dangerous illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed," Putin said. This once again heightened concerns over a possible nuclear threat as the world's two main nuclear powers come face-to-face. But how real are Putin's threats? India's former ambassador to Turkey and Uzbekistan and Author of “Uncle Sam's Nuclear Cabin”, M.K. Bhadrakumar, spoke with WION and shared his razor-sharp observations on what significance Putin's nuclear threats have. He also spoke about the US thinking and how India's steadfast position on the Ukraine war reflects the nation’s well-founded foreign policy. The envoy cut to the chase and said, "The nuclear threat is more of a hoax." "It is political. One must understand that Russians have a clear nuclear doctrine, which is registered with the UN and is the country’s legislation as well. Putin or anyone cannot change it arbitrarily." The world first believed that Russia would capture Ukraine in a matter of days but now discussions are around whether Putin's nuclear threat is real and can actually lead to a global disaster. Bhadrakumar detailed what Russia's doctrine actually entails. "It spells out very clearly that nuclear power will be used in certain situations. Like, if the Russian state comes under threat or its existence is in danger, and the Ukraine conflict does not really come to that." When can a shift really happen in the nuke status quo? The former diplomat said the doctrine can "only change if there is a direct NATO intervention in Ukraine." "(US President Joe) Biden is quite mindful of it and that is why he keeps saying that there is no question of putting boots on the ground or NATO interfering in the war." In any case, Bhadrakumar pointed out, even if the US wants, the other NATO powers are not going to go along with it. "They know a confrontation of that kind between NATO and Russia will develop into a nuclear confrontation and Europe will be in the crossfire." Nuclear threat: A propaganda tool Nuclear threat, the former envoy said, is propaganda to create certain narratives. By talking about the suspension of the New START treaty, Putin has put the ball in the American court, he said. "Now Biden cannot go on and escalate because if he escalates now, Russians will walk out of the New START treaty completely." The Russian foreign ministry issued a statement after Putin’s treaty suspension speech, clarifying that they will nonetheless observe the terms of the treaty till 2026. “That (talk of New START treaty suspension) is clearly to compel the US to exercise self-restraint because if US goes ahead and escalates like this and Russians walk out, then Europe is in a mess. Europe has two nuclear powers and Germany and Italy will also now want nuclear deterrence of their own, then what happens with NATO? NATO becomes redundant." He stressed that Americans know all this. "It is a different ball game that is being played there. What Russians have done is to compel the US to strategically engage with Russia and that means all issues connected to security will be on the table." "This is nothing about nuclear war, this is more about nuclear diplomacy." By nuclear diplomacy, he said, Russians hope to bring matters to the negotiating table. "Security is not divisible, like you cannot just handle nuclear security, there has to be mutual trust, mutual confidence, various underpinnings have to be built into it and so on but the Americans will have no choice but to engage with Russians.” “Russians will then say you can not give long-range weapons to Ukraine and you cannot induct Ukraine as a NATO member and so on." Searching for a thaw? The Nuland interview Speaking about US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland's interview with TASS news agency, the envoy said, if one looks closely they will note that there are many backdoor talks which go on. Notably, in an interview with the agency, Nuland said that the United States is ready to start talks with Russia on the New START nuclear arms control treaty "tomorrow" without preconditions and accusations if Moscow is prepared for this. "She would not have said it without instructions from Biden himself." He said that Americans are now ready to talk as otherwise, it can lead to the demolition of NATO and the transatlantic system and all nuclear threshold states in Europe like Turkey, Poland, Germany, and Italy will all become nuclear states. "And if there is no nuclear architecture everyone will go for deterrent capability on its own." And then what happens? He said, "It will be free for all." "And what is the requirement of an alliance if all develop their own deterrent capabilities?" the envoy questioned. "South Arabia will go for it, Iran, South Korea... so many threshold states are there... Egypt." "Americans know that after that, there conventional superiority... military superiority becomes irrelevant." "And if the other side has nuclear capabilities they checkmate American power. So this is the brilliant game that the Russians have played by bringing these things to the fore. So there are no winners after this." He underscored that the conventional military superiority of the US cannot be translated in geopolitical terms. "Saddam Hussein did not have weapons (of mass destruction)....suppose Saddam Hussain had weapons or Muammar Gaddafi had weapons. They would not have met with that miserable fate. So a number of countries are going to think along those lines." After all, in the case of Russia, the former envoy underlined, the country cannot lose this war. "Russia cannot be defeated only because it is someone with nuclear capability." "Because if they are down, they will take the Americans along with them. Biden knows in any case the game is up.. it will be all order or complete anarchy." Ukraine can make a ‘dirty bomb?’ In the latest IAEA report, the UN nuclear watchdog elaborated on nuclear safety in Ukraine. It noted that the nuclear plant Zaporizhzhia NPP, which Russian troops entered on March 4, 2022, remains under Russian control. On a discussion over the report, the Ambassador said Zaporizhzhia NPP is an entirely different category and has nothing to do with nuclear weapons. "It is in terms of energy security. It caters to the bulk of Ukraine's power grid. If these provinces are going to be part of Russia, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donbas province and so on, their economic viability will depend on power supplies and it will help Russia quite a lot." Going back to the main issue of nuclear threat, the envoy said, "Second aspect is that unless they are not in control…there is always a possibility that Ukraine is a nuclear threshold state. So in these kinds of anarchical conditions, they can always go nuclear and they can always make the dirty bomb." "Russian raised this in the UNSC and I was asked to come and look into it whether Ukraine is already doing it or not. So, NPP is entirely different, it has nothing to do with nuclear war." India's steadfast stand on the Russia-Ukraine war India's position on the Russia-Ukraine war has remained constant. Even under western pressure, India did not waver. "India has the professionalism to understand what is happening. The confusion arises only in the mind of uninformed people but as far as decision-makers are concerned keep them separate." He said Indian PM Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar have all the facts at their disposal. "They will not get agitated and India's policy towards the war is well-founded on the basis of other larger considerations. Everyone knows it and Jaishankar's remarks at MSC make it abundantly clear that India has understood that this is about the world order." "The transatlantic alliance cannot dictate any further terms.. that is about western hegemony." "The war is an unprecedented confrontation between big powers. So, it is an entirely different ball game and world order that is going to prevail in the 21st century and in the coming decades. It is very clear that India's strategic autonomy is well-founded." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war anniversary: Why this former diplomat thinks Putin's nuclear threat ‘is more of a hoax’

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which is dubbed Satan 2 by Western analysts, will be deployed. The announcement came a day before the first anniversary of Russia's military campaign in neighbouring Ukraine.&nbsp;

Last year in April, Putin announced the test launch of a nuclear-capable&nbsp;ICBM system. The Sarmat is capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads. It is among Russia's next-generation missiles that Putin has described as "invincible".&nbsp;

In a video released by the Kremlin to mark the "Defender of the Fatherland Day" in Russia, Putin said: "We pay special attention, as before, to strengthening the nuclear triad. This year, the first launchers of the Sarmat missile system will be put on combat duty."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/janet-yellen-calls-for-fresh-sanctions-on-russia-as-g20-finance-chiefs-gather-in-india-565184">Janet Yellen calls for fresh sanctions on Russia as G20 finance chiefs gather in India</a>

This news development comes days after CNN cited two anonymous US officials as saying that Russia carried out a test of the Sarmat, but it failed.&nbsp;

However, on being asked about the same, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the report. Peskov said that it was "the prerogative of the defence ministry".&nbsp;

Russia has claimed that Sarmat, which weighs more than 200 tonnes, can reach an unmatched 16,000mph and can deploy 10 or more warheads on each missile. The long-range missile has been in development since the 2000s.&nbsp;

Putin has said the heavy Sarmat missile can hit any target on Earth and will make the Kremlin's enemies "think twice".&nbsp;

Last year, the Russian defence ministry claimed in a statement that Sarmat is the "most powerful missile with the longest range of destruction of targets in the world", which will significantly increase the combat power of Moscow's strategic nuclear forces.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Will nuclear weapons be used in Ukraine?&nbsp;

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<h2>Kinzhal systems and Zircon hypersonic missiles&nbsp;</h2>

Putin also said that Russia would continue production of air-based hypersonic Kinzhal systems and would start mass supplies of sea-based Zircon hypersonic missiles.&nbsp;

He said: "With the adoption of the Borei-A nuclear-powered submarine project 'Emperor Alexander III' into the navy, the share of modern weapons and equipment in the naval strategic nuclear forces will reach one hundred per cent."&nbsp;

"In the coming years, three more cruisers of this project will replenish the fleet's combat strength," he added.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which is dubbed Satan 2 by Western analysts, will be deployed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which is dubbed Satan 2 by Western analysts, will be deployed. The announcement came a day before the first anniversary of Russia's military campaign in neighbouring Ukraine. Last year in April, Putin announced the test launch of a nuclear-capable ICBM system. The Sarmat is capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads. It is among Russia's next-generation missiles that Putin has described as "invincible". In a video released by the Kremlin to mark the "Defender of the Fatherland Day" in Russia, Putin said: "We pay special attention, as before, to strengthening the nuclear triad. This year, the first launchers of the Sarmat missile system will be put on combat duty." ALSO READ | Janet Yellen calls for fresh sanctions on Russia as G20 finance chiefs gather in India This news development comes days after CNN cited two anonymous US officials as saying that Russia carried out a test of the Sarmat, but it failed. However, on being asked about the same, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the report. Peskov said that it was "the prerogative of the defence ministry". Russia has claimed that Sarmat, which weighs more than 200 tonnes, can reach an unmatched 16,000mph and can deploy 10 or more warheads on each missile. The long-range missile has been in development since the 2000s. Putin has said the heavy Sarmat missile can hit any target on Earth and will make the Kremlin's enemies "think twice". Last year, the Russian defence ministry claimed in a statement that Sarmat is the "most powerful missile with the longest range of destruction of targets in the world", which will significantly increase the combat power of Moscow's strategic nuclear forces. WATCH | Gravitas: Will nuclear weapons be used in Ukraine? × Kinzhal systems and Zircon hypersonic missiles Putin also said that Russia would continue production of air-based hypersonic Kinzhal systems and would start mass supplies of sea-based Zircon hypersonic missiles. He said: "With the adoption of the Borei-A nuclear-powered submarine project 'Emperor Alexander III' into the navy, the share of modern weapons and equipment in the naval strategic nuclear forces will reach one hundred per cent." "In the coming years, three more cruisers of this project will replenish the fleet's combat strength," he added. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war: Putin to deploy Sarmat missile system on combat duty this year

"I am not a soldier."

Remembering days spent cramped in a bunker with her batchmates, Khwaish Thapa, who was then studying at Ukraine’s Kharkiv National Medical University, says the memories still send chills down her spine. It was February 24, 2022 — the day Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. With all its military might, the Kremlin rolled tanks in its peaceful neighbourhood.&nbsp;

The sound of sirens and bombardment filled the air. Citizens had little or no clue of what was happening. What mighty horror was unfolding around them and how their lives would forever be changed. Among them were those who called Ukraine their ‘second home’. Students pursuing medical degrees at universities across the length and breadth of the country: Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Sumy.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/escape-from-ukraine-no-water-for-3-days-held-at-gunpoint-19-year-old-indian-student-makes-it-to-safety-460443">Escape from Ukraine: No water for 3 days, held at gunpoint, 19-year-old Indian student makes it to safety</a>

Many of them were Indian nationals, who had found Ukraine to be a relatively cost-effective nation for medical education.

‘Invasion’, ‘war’: New terms in daily life

"At 5 am, my father called from India to break the news to me. That is when I peeped out of my window to see and heard sounds of bombardment," the 20-year-old recalls.

It's been a year since students knocked on the doors of the apex court in pursuit to find ways to continue their degree.

Their persistence directed them to newer avenues, with options for mobility or transfer. Many even opted to change their fields altogether.&nbsp;

<img alt=" Students were pursuing medical degrees at universities across the length and breadth of the country. " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4a7f42a2-0c1a-411b-b1fa-e9472b37c5f0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Copy%20of%20look%20ahead.png" />

Back to square one

"My current situation has brought me back to square one, I had to redo my finances just like I did before enrolling in the first year of my degree. As I have chosen the (academic) mobility programme, my practicals will be held in Uzbekistan while I continue to study the theory part of my syllabus through online classes from my Ukrainian university," says Faisal Ansari, a fifth-year student at Sumy State University.

With a three-hour difference in the time zone between the two countries, Ansari is already staring at a hectic schedule even before entering his new campus.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ukraine-war-witness-account-indian-medical-student-sheltering-in-bunker-speaks-of-her-fears-456973">Ukraine war witness account: Indian medical student sheltering in bunker speaks of her fears</a>

"Some of my batchmates have moved back to Ukraine, but I am not convinced to return to the war-torn country. Mobility is an expensive switch; there's an additional charge of $1,500 per year, and my family and I have made peace with that," he adds.

Cutting ties

The academic transfer programme is more like cutting ties with the old university. Students are required to submit their transcripts and continue the degree at a new university where they wish to complete their graduation.

As the situation in Ukraine continues to be unstable, students are exploring opportunities in other countries.

Seeking best available options

In Ukraine, a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree is a six-year course that includes 12 months of internship. In India, it is 5.5 years. Until the new norms were released, it was a mandate for all foreign students to do an additional year-long internship in India. After weighing the pros and cons, many students have applied to Indian universities.&nbsp;

The grim reality remains that the war has affected lives in ways more than one.

Jatin Sehgal, who was studying in Kharkiv, chose to see the brighter side and embrace the best option for a stable career.

The 22-year-old is currently in Canada, pursuing a course in mental health and addiction.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-conflict-airstrike-near-hostel-as-indian-students-in-ukraine-spend-harrowing-night-in-bunker-458814">Russia-Ukraine conflict: Airstrike near hostel as Indian students in Ukraine spend harrowing night in bunker</a>

He says, “My parents and I didn’t want to be in a dilemma as there was a lot of uncertainty for foreign medical students.”

Is it Covid-19 or the war that shook the world? Foreign medical degree holders, who had planned a year of internship, will now have to intern for two years before registering for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in India. 
&nbsp;

<img alt=" Huddling in bunkers amid blaring sirens, watching a friendly neighbourhood reduce to rubble, and finally escaping the war-torn country." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1a375cd9-3b97-4470-a06a-d9506523ed86" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/bunnker-1.png" />

 
A year on, the war is showing no sign of ending

Many long to enjoy campus life, but in Ukraine it has a whole new meaning; it’s about constant power cuts and the lingering fear that refuses to leave the air.&nbsp;

Huddling in bunkers amid blaring sirens, watching a friendly neighbourhood reduce to rubble, and finally escaping the war-torn country — these dark days will forever be etched in the memories of these young aspiring doctors.&nbsp;

While some have chosen new pastures, others are still stuck in limbo in the hope of holding their degree. 
&nbsp;

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"I am not a soldier." Remembering days spent cramped in a bunker with her batchmates, Khwaish Thapa, who was then studying at Ukraine’s Kharkiv National Medical University, says the memories still send chills down her spine.

"I am not a soldier." Remembering days spent cramped in a bunker with her batchmates, Khwaish Thapa, who was then studying at Ukraine’s Kharkiv National Medical University, says the memories still send chills down her spine. It was February 24, 2022 — the day Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. With all its military might, the Kremlin rolled tanks in its peaceful neighbourhood. The sound of sirens and bombardment filled the air. Citizens had little or no clue of what was happening. What mighty horror was unfolding around them and how their lives would forever be changed. Among them were those who called Ukraine their ‘second home’. Students pursuing medical degrees at universities across the length and breadth of the country: Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Sumy. ALSO READ | Escape from Ukraine: No water for 3 days, held at gunpoint, 19-year-old Indian student makes it to safety Many of them were Indian nationals, who had found Ukraine to be a relatively cost-effective nation for medical education. ‘Invasion’, ‘war’: New terms in daily life "At 5 am, my father called from India to break the news to me. That is when I peeped out of my window to see and heard sounds of bombardment," the 20-year-old recalls. It's been a year since students knocked on the doors of the apex court in pursuit to find ways to continue their degree. Their persistence directed them to newer avenues, with options for mobility or transfer. Many even opted to change their fields altogether. Back to square one "My current situation has brought me back to square one, I had to redo my finances just like I did before enrolling in the first year of my degree. As I have chosen the (academic) mobility programme, my practicals will be held in Uzbekistan while I continue to study the theory part of my syllabus through online classes from my Ukrainian university," says Faisal Ansari, a fifth-year student at Sumy State University. With a three-hour difference in the time zone between the two countries, Ansari is already staring at a hectic schedule even before entering his new campus. ALSO READ | Ukraine war witness account: Indian medical student sheltering in bunker speaks of her fears "Some of my batchmates have moved back to Ukraine, but I am not convinced to return to the war-torn country. Mobility is an expensive switch; there's an additional charge of $1,500 per year, and my family and I have made peace with that," he adds. Cutting ties The academic transfer programme is more like cutting ties with the old university. Students are required to submit their transcripts and continue the degree at a new university where they wish to complete their graduation. As the situation in Ukraine continues to be unstable, students are exploring opportunities in other countries. Seeking best available options In Ukraine, a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree is a six-year course that includes 12 months of internship. In India, it is 5.5 years. Until the new norms were released, it was a mandate for all foreign students to do an additional year-long internship in India. After weighing the pros and cons, many students have applied to Indian universities. The grim reality remains that the war has affected lives in ways more than one. Jatin Sehgal, who was studying in Kharkiv, chose to see the brighter side and embrace the best option for a stable career. The 22-year-old is currently in Canada, pursuing a course in mental health and addiction. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine conflict: Airstrike near hostel as Indian students in Ukraine spend harrowing night in bunker He says, “My parents and I didn’t want to be in a dilemma as there was a lot of uncertainty for foreign medical students.” Is it Covid-19 or the war that shook the world? Foreign medical degree holders, who had planned a year of internship, will now have to intern for two years before registering for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in India. A year on, the war is showing no sign of ending Many long to enjoy campus life, but in Ukraine it has a whole new meaning; it’s about constant power cuts and the lingering fear that refuses to leave the air. Huddling in bunkers amid blaring sirens, watching a friendly neighbourhood reduce to rubble, and finally escaping the war-torn country — these dark days will forever be etched in the memories of these young aspiring doctors. While some have chosen new pastures, others are still stuck in limbo in the hope of holding their degree. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war: A turning point, not a roadblock for Indian medical students

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