Calling Vladimir Putin "smart", Donald Trump says the NATO countries "are not so smart, they are looking the opposite of smart."
Trump said that the world was a peaceful place because America was strong.
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| Americans preferred to 'inherit' the meek: Dumped Trump |
Stressing that Russia "respected" America under his administration, he called current President Joe Biden "weak and grossly incompetent", which has led to the current situation in Ukraine.
Washington was perceived as "powerful, cunning, and smart" back then, but "now, we're a stupid country", Russian news agency Sputnik quoted Trump as saying.
The former US president said that US' pathetic withdrawal from Afghanistan led Russian President Vladimir Putin to decide on the special military operations in Ukraine.
"The problem is not that Putin is smart, which of course he is smart, but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb," the news agency quoted Trump. The former US President was quoted having stated that anti-Russia sanctions are weak since Moscow has survived such measures imposed previously.
"Putin is playing Biden like a drum," he said, adding this would not have happened had he been the President, since it would have been easy for him "to stop this travesty."
"The world hasn't been this chaotic since World War II. I stand as the only President of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country," Sputnik quoted Trump as saying.
Notably, Putin on Monday recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. Later, he ordered special military operations "to protect" the people in the Donbas region.
Operation Ganga: First batch of Indian evacuees from Ukraine land in Mumbai
New Delhi
"Welcome back.
First step of Operation Ganga," tweeted External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankaras 219 stranded students arrived at Mumbai airport in a special Air India flight from Ukraine on Saturday evening.
"Since the beginning of this crisis, our main objective was to bring back each and every Indian stranded in Ukraine. 219 students have arrived here. This was the first batch, the second will reach Delhi soon. We'll not stop until all of them are back home," :Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.
An Air India Flight attendant too was enthusiastic.
"We are very happy to bring our students back home. The students were filled with joy once we landed here in Mumbai," she said.
"Thanks to the Government of India for giving us this opportunity," the attendant maintained.
One medical student who returned along with others expressed his gratitude stating,"I had trust upon the Indian government that they will definitely bring us back to our country. There was some fear and panic, but we are very happy to be back in India".
Speaking to the students on their arrival, Piyush Goyal said, "I urge all of you to be strong, give yourstrength to all of your friends who are still left behind but will be brought back soon".
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to Ukrainian and Russian leaderships and from bothsides there have been assurances that safe passage of Indians will not be hindered.
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PM Modi says India willing to contribute in any way for peace in Ukraine
New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed India’s willingness to contribute in any manner towards peace efforts and to defuse the Ekraine crisis.
Modi gave this assurance to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during tele talks.
"President Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict situation in Ukraine," a PMO statement said.
The Prime Minister expressed his "deep anguish about the loss of life and property" due to the ongoing conflict.
"He reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of violence and a return to dialogue, and expressed India’s willingness to contribute in any way towards peace efforts," the statement said.
The Prime Minister also conveyed India’s deep concern for the safety and security of Indian citizens,
including students, present in Ukraine.
He sought facilitation by Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and safely evacuate Indian citizens, the release said.
Ukraine's envoy to India Igor Polikha has said PM Modi is among the very few leaders whom Russian
President Vladimir Putin listens to and so the Indian government should use proximity with Moscow
to bring the situation in Ukraine under control.
All these typically underline India's importance in the global context.
US President Joe Biden has indicated that it wants New Delhi under Modi to play a part
in defusing the ongoing conflict.
PM Modi has already spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and with him too, he underlined
the need for comprehensive steps to end the violence.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar too held phone conversations with his Russian counterpart
Sergey Lavrov and also Ukranian foreign minister and underlined that dialogue and diplomacy are the
best way forward to deal with the crisis.
Meanwhile, Russia on Saturday applauded India's stand at the UNSC during voting on the Ukraine
crisis.
"Highly appreciate India’s independent and balanced position at the voting in the UNSC on February 25, 2022.
In the spirit of the special and privileged strategic partnership Russia is committed to maintain close dialogue
with India on the situation around Ukraine," said a tweet from Russian embassy in India.
Crucially from global perspective, both China and India abstained.
"....No solution can ever be arrived at the cost of human lives", India's Permanent Representative to the UN, T S Tirumurti said at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine on late Friday night (Saturday wee hours).
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(Europe was meant to have left such events behind.’ The aftermath of an apparent Russian strike in Mariupol, Ukraine, 24 February. Photograph: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP - The Guardian)
At UN Security Council, India and China abstain from the UNSC condemning the invasion of Ukraine
India abstains : Helpless US says, "Russia, you can't veto Ukrainian people"
New Delhi
"Let me make one thing clear," US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after the UNSC vote that was vetoed by Russia.
She said, "Russia, you can veto this resolution, but you cannot veto our voices, you cannot veto the truth, you cannot veto our principles, you cannot veto the Ukrainian people."
Of course the UNSC resolution was always doomed to fail because of Moscow's veto power as a permanent member of the council.
But the debate showed some clarity, it gave an opportunity for US and allies to condemn Russian President VladimirPutin's actions against Ukraine.
Crucially in the Asian context, both China and India abstained from voting.
UAE also abstained.
"....No solution can ever be arrived at the cost of human lives", India's Permanent Representaive to the UN, TS Tirumurti said at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine.
"India is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine. We urge that all efforts are made for immediate cessation of violence and hostilities".
The draft of the Resolution "deplores in the strongest terms" the country's "aggression" against Ukraine and demands the immediate withdrawal of its troops. But it was vetoed by Moscow.
“One of the major reasons why India doesn’t want to jeopardise its ties with Moscow is that it sees Russia as a guarantor of multipolarity. India favours a world order where multiple powers balance each other out,” Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia programme and senior associate for south Asia at the Wilson Center, hasbeen quoted in a section of media.
Eleven of the council's 15 members voted for the motion, which was co-written by the United States and Albania.
Russia, which currently holds the rotating Security Council presidency, is likely to face another vote on a similar resolution before the wider UN General Assembly.
However, the UN General Assembly resolution, easy to pass, is non-binding.
"Make no mistake, Russia is isolated. It has no support for the invasion of Ukraine," said Britain's ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward.
T S Tirumurti also said, "It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up. We must return to it. For all these reasons, India has chosen to abstain on this resolution".
"All member states need to honour these principles in finding a constructive way forward. Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes, however daunting that may appear at this moment"
China's representative said the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states should be respected and that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld.
"...Security of one country cannot come at the cost of undermining the security of other nations".
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"....No solution can ever be arrived at the cost of human lives": India's Per. Rep. to #UN, TS #Tirumurti at #UNSC meeting on #Ukraine.
"India deeply disturbed by recent turn of developments in Ukraine. We urge that all efforts r made for immediate cessation of violence & hostilities".
“One of the major reasons why India doesn’t want to jeopardise its ties with Moscow is that it sees Russia as a guarantor of multipolarity. India favours a world order where multiple powers balance each other out,” Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia programme at the Wilson Center, has been quoted in a section of media.
All member states need to honour these principles in finding a constructive way forward. Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences & disputes, however daunting that may appear at this moment: T S Tirumurti at UNSC
It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up. We must return to it. For all these reasons, India has chosen to abstain on this resolution: India's Permanent Rep to UN, TS Tirumurti at UNSC meeting on Ukraine
US will defend every inch of NATO territory. Our commitment to Article 5 is ironclad. I have ordered the deployment of additional forces to augment our capabilities in Europe to support our NATO allies, reads the statement of President Joe Biden on the NATO Summit
...Security of one country cannot come at the cost of undermining the security of other nations...China abstained in the vote...Ukraine should become a bridge between East & West: China's permanent representative to the UN, Zhang Jun
"We believe that the sovereignty & territorial integrity of all states should be respected and that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld," says China
US slaps sanctions on Putin and Russian FM Lavrov
New Delhi
The US administration and the White House slapped sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as part of Washington efforts to ramp up pressure on Moscow following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The rare but not unprecedented US move to impose sanctions on a head of state would come close
on the heels after Russian forces invaded Ukraine.
This is being billed as the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War-II.
Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry has reacted strongly to such moves.
The imposition of sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reflect the West's "absolute impotence" when it comes to foreign policy, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also announced similar punitive measures.
The United States has in the past imposed sanctions on heads of state, including on Venezuela's
Nicolas Maduro and Bashar al-Assad of Syria.
The United States also imposed sanctions on Russia's two biggest banks, among others, and members of the elite.
Evacuation of Indians from Ukraine :: Cost completely borne by Govt of India
New Delhi
Under supervision of senior officials and smooth coordination at the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi, various foreign missions have swung into action helping evacuation of Indians from war-hit UKraine.
According to an official source, the Government of India is organizing evacuation flights for Indians in Ukraine.
"Cost will be completely borne by the Govt of India for this evacuation".
"We have set up three teams for exit out of western Ukraine, including one in Lviv. Poland government is
dong a lot to provide easy transit into Poland to stranded people of all nationalities," said Indian envoy to
Poland, Nagma Mallick.
The MEA Camp Offices are now operational in Lviv and Chernivtsi towns in western Ukraine.
Additional Russian speaking officials are being sent to these Camp Offices, sources said in Delhi.
Officials there are assisting Indian citizens who reach these cities, and will facilitate their departure from
Ukraine through adjoining border crossings.
"First batch of Indian students have left Chernivtsi for the Ukraine/ Romania border as well," a source said.
The Ministry of External Affairs and the Centre are working out evacuation plans also in coordination
with Hungarian authorities. The students have been advised to remain in touch with student contractors
for orderly movement.
"In this difficult situation, the Embassy of India, Ukraine requests Indians to continue to remain strong, safe
and alert," an official statement said.
Teams have started working at Chop-Zahony Hungarian border near Uzhhorod and Porubne-Siret Romanian border
near Chernivtsi.
"The first batch of evacuees from Ukraine reach Romania via the Suceava border crossing.
Our team at Suceava will now facilitate travel to Bucharest for their onward journey to India,"
MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi tweeted along with video footage.
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