Russia-Ukraine News Updates: Biden announces sanctions against Russia but says still time for diplomacy

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said that a Russian "invasion" of Ukraine is "beginning" while announcing sanctions on Moscow to cut it off from Western financing, punishing countries elites as well.

The US President said they will continue to supply "defensive" weapons to Ukraine informing an "authorized additional movements of US forces" to NATO allies in Baltics.

Addressing amid soaring concerns over Russian invasion of Ukraine, Biden that there is 'still time' for diplomacy and to 'avert the worst case scenario' in Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Russia-Ukraine crisis saying US will impose sanctions on Russia "far beyond" previous measures. He said sanctions will cut Russia off from Western financing. 

Russia says it has established diplomatic ties with Ukraine separatist regions, amid Putin's warning to Kyiv to stay away from NATO alliance.

An Air India plane carrying more than 240 passengers from Ukraine landed at the Delhi airport today after 11:30 pm. The airline had operated a Boeing 787 aircraft to bring back Indians amid rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

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Amid soaring tensions over Russia-Ukraine, the Pentagon chief has said that the United States is seeking a way "to avoid further conflict" in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said that the peace agreement with Ukraine 'does not exist' anymore, 'best' if Kyiv drops NATO bid, adopts neutrality.

As tensions soar between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow on Tuesday said it will evacuate diplomats from Kyiv soon.

EU sanctions "will hurt Russia and will hurt a lot," said European Union's foreign policy chief adding sanctions to target Russian lawmakers for backing recognition.

US President Joe Biden to now address the nation at 1:00 pm (11:30 pm IST) on Tuesday on Russia's latest moves against Ukraine, the White House said.

Vladimir Putin has called for recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, halt to weapons shipments to Ukraine, end to Ukraine's NATO bid.

As tensions soar high, NATO chief on Tuesday said that there is "every indication" Russia planning a full-scale attack on Ukraine.

Amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the Upper House in Moscow has voted in favour of allowing the Russian army to be used outside the country after President Putin's request, reports AFP.

Around 250 Indians and students belonging to various states are returning from Ukraine to Delhi tonight. More flights in the coming days to help Indians return, said MoS MEA V. Muraleedharan.

Amid fast-paced development in Russia-Ukraine crisis, US President Biden will address nation on Russia's actions in Ukraine at 2:00 pm EST (12:30 am IST) on Wednesday, White House said on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked the Upper House to approve the use of the Russian army outside the country, AFP quoted Deputy Defence Minister.

In a quandary over President Vladimir Putin’s move to recognise the independence of Ukraine’s two separatist regions, China, a close ally of Russia, on Tuesday called for restraint while maintaining diplomatic silence on Moscow’s latest actions that ratcheted up global tensions.

Putin on Monday recognised the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine Donetsk and Luhansk as independent entities paving the way to provide the military support, fuelling fears that Russia could imminently invade Ukraine.

While the US, EU and their allies which are firmly backing Ukraine in its standoff against Russia, China chose to walk a fine line, saying that Russia’s legitimate security concerns must be respected but parried questions to Putin’s move to declare "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent and sovereign states.

The Ukraine tensions figured prominently in Tuesday's telephone talks between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken briefed Wang on the US' views and position on the current situation in Ukraine, while Wang noted that China is monitoring the Ukraine situation closely, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

Wang “emphasised China’s consistent position on the Ukraine issue. He said that the “legitimate security concerns of any country must be respected, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be upheld”, it said.

White House has welcomed Nord Stream 2 halt, adding it will announce 'own measures' against Russia. Meanwhile, Germany said it is 'ready' to reinforce troops in Lithuania.

NATO has announced an urgent meeting with Ukraine envoy on Tuesday, although, Russia said it's not planning to send troops to east Ukraine 'for now'.

UK will impose sanctions on 5 Russian banks, three 'very high-net-worth individuals' following Moscow troop deployment, AFP quoted British PM Boris Johnson. He added that Russian action in Ukraine 'pretext for a full-scale invasion'.

After Russia's move to recongmnise pro-separatist groups in Ukraine, Germany is 'confident' that EU will agree 'robust and massive' sanctions against Russia, Scholz said.

Chancellor Scholz said that Germany has also suspended Nord Stream 2 pipeline project with Russia.

Kremlin says Kyiv cutting diplomatic ties with Moscow would make 'everything even more difficult' adding it remains open to all 'diplomatic contact' over Ukraine.

This morning we made a statement at UNSC. We've been clear there should be de-escalation of tensions, that world can't afford another conflict, that diplomacy & diplomatic efforts are the only way to reach an amicable solution acceptable to all: Foreign Secy on Russia-Ukraine

Govt watching Russia-Ukraine crisis closely, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the U.K. will introduce “immediate” economic sanctions against Russia, and warned that President Vladimir Putin is bent on “a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.” Johnson said Putin had “completely torn up international law” and British sanctions would target not just the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk but “Russian economic interests as hard as we can.”

Johnson is to set out further details of the sanctions in the House of Commons later Tuesday. He told broadcasters that this would be “just the first barrage of U.K. economic sanctions against Russia because we expect, I’m afraid, that there is more Russian irrational behavior to come.”

“I’m afraid all the evidence is that President Putin is indeed bent on a full-scale invasion of the Ukraine, the overrunning, the subjugation of an independent, sovereign European country and I think, let’s be absolutely clear, that would be absolutely catastrophic.”

Germany orders withdrawal of key document needed for certification of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.

PARIS: French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian condemned in forceful terms on Tuesday the move by Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize breakaway republics in Ukraine as a violation of international law and the Minsk peace agreement with Ukraine. "Obviously, we will take the initiative to impose sanctions,” he said, adding that EU foreign ministers will meet “to examine together what measures to take.” The 27-nation EU has said it would impose sanctions against Russia in case of an invasion of Ukraine.

U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has warned of worrying signs that Russia has begun to move forces into Ukraine as he opened a conference of defence ministers from Baltic and North Atlantic states. Wallace issued the warning to a meeting of defense ministers from the nations of the Joint Expeditionary Force on Tuesday in Leicestershire, England, though he said reports of military equipment moving into Ukraine's Donbas region would need to be verified. “Many of us were forewarning that President Putin already had an agenda – you heard that agenda in his speech last night,'' Wallace said, referring to Putin's decision to recognize two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. “This is a sovereign state which has now had some of its land effectively annexed from it."

Air India’s first of three flights to bring back Indian nationals from Ukraine touches down in Kyiv. The flight, having 200 seats, will return today late evening. 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is chairing an emergency meeting of the Cabinet Office Briefing Room A (COBRA) on Tuesday morning as the UK plans further sanctions on Moscow, following Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognise two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. The meeting comes as UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said given that tanks have been seen near one of those regions of Donetsk, it can be concluded that the "invasion of Ukraine has begun". The COBRA meeting follows widespread condemnation of Russia's move, which Johnson termed a violation of international law and an 'ill omen and very dark time', declaring that things are moving in the wrong direction in the region. Downing Street said the COBRA meeting would discuss the latest developments in Ukraine and coordinate the UK response, including agreeing a "significant package of sanctions to be introduced immediately". "The United Kingdom will be announcing new sanctions on Russia in response to its breach of international law and attack on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. There will be severe economic consequences to its actions," UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward told an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

A top European Union official says Russia's recognition of the Ukrainian separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states and to send troops into the territories is an act of war. Didier Reynders, the European Commissioner for Justice, said the 27-nation bloc is ready to implement sanctions against Russia. Speaking to Belgian broadcaster RTBF, Reynders said a unanimous accord from EU member countries is needed for new sanctions to be imposed. He said the anticipated measures would evolve gradually, depending on Russian actions. The first types would be travel bans against individuals and sanctions against economic entities via the seizing of assets in Europe and abroad. In addition, Reynders said "it will be necessary to ensure that there are no more imports of goods or services from Russia, such as energy, and that Russia's global access to financial services is terminated."  "Everything is on the table," he said, adding member states were discussing how gradual the moves would be and the possibility for diplomacy to ease the conflict.

European Union foreign ministers will adopt sanctions Tuesday against Russia over its recognition of Ukrainian separatist regions and further deployment of troops on its neighbour's territory, the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions towards Ukraine show he has chosen confrontation with the West over dialogue, British health minister Sajid Javid said on Tuesday."We've always preferred dialogue and still continue to do so but it's clear from President Putin's actions that he has chosen confrontation over dialogue," Javid told BBC.

According to the Embassy of India in Ukraine, four flights from Kyiv to Delhi to operate in order to evacuate Indian nationals in view of the continued high level of tensions in Ukraine.

4 flights from Kyiv to Delhi to operate 

Russia’s U.N. ambassador has accused the United States and its Western allies of egging Ukraine toward “an armed provocation.” Speaking at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Monday night, Vassily Nebenzia accused Ukraine of sharply increasing shelling in residential areas of the separatist Luhansk and Donetsk regions and in Russian towns and villages near the border. He said Ukraine has concentrated a 120,000-strong military contingent along the contact line with pro-Russian separatists in the east and “subversive groups” have penetrated or tried to penetrate the territory known as the Donbas to sabotage critical infrastructure.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, America's ambassador to the United Nations, warned that the consequences of Russia's actions will be dire " across Ukraine, across Europe, and across the globe." FULL STORY 

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida criticised Russia for violating Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and said his country will discuss possible severe actions including sanctions with the international community. Kishida was responding to Russian President Vladimir Putin's signing Monday of decree recognising the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, ordering his troops to maintain peace in those areas. Putin's announcement raised fears of an imminent invasion. "Those actions are unacceptable, and we express our strong condemnation," Kishida told reporters Tuesday. "Japan is watching the development with grave concern."

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has dismissed as nonsense Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement that he is putting Russian troops in separatist areas of eastern Ukraine as peacekeepers, saying their presence is clearly the basis for Russia's attempt to create a pretext for a further invasion of Ukraine. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Monday night that this move and Putin's earlier announcement that Russia will recognize the separatist areas as independent states are also an unprovoked attack on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. By his actions, she said, Putin has torn the Minsk Agreement to shreds. Thomas-Greenfield said Putin has put before the world a choice and it must not look away because history tells us that looking the other way in the face of such hostility will be a far more costly path. She said Putin is testing to see how far he can push us all, and all countries must stand up for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries. Thomas-Greenfield warned that the consequences of Russia's actions will be dire across Ukraine, across Europe, and across the globe.

Despite the ongoing tensions in Ukraine, the UN is committed to staying with about 1,500 staff, some 100 of them in the the country's conflict-hit east where Russia has recognised the two breakaway rebel regions as independent states, a spokesman for the world body said. "As a result of the evolving situation on the ground, we've allowed for temporary relocation of some nonessential staff and some dependents," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "At the same time, we have more staff coming in ... to support our operations. We are continuing to be committed to staying and delivering in Ukraine, especially in Eastern Ukraine," Dujarric said. "Our operations continue to be fully operational," Xinhua news agency quoted the spokesman as saying. Overall, he said, the global body has about 2,696 staff and their dependents in Ukraine, approximately 1,510 staff and some 100 in the Donbas region which comprises Luhansk and Donetsk. The spokesman further broke down the numbers to say that 149 of the 1,510 are international staff members, and 1,361 are national staff members.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized the independence of Moscow-backed rebel regions in eastern Ukraine, a move that will further fuel tensions with the West amid fears of the Russian invasion. Putin’s move follows days of heightened tensions in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland, where Ukrainian forces are locked in a nearly eight-year conflict with Russia-backed separatists that has left more than 14,000 people dead. FULL STORY 

We remain open to diplomacy for diplomatic solution. However, allowing bloodbath in Donbas is something we don’t intend to do. We are forced to note the negative role played by our western colleagues led by the US: Russia at UNSC meeting on Ukraine

Today, the entire membership of the United Nations is under attack. Under attack by the country that occupied the membership of the Security Council in 1991 bypassing the UN charter. The country that occupied parts of Ukraine in 2014: Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukrainian Ambassador to UN

We want peace & we are consistent in our actions…We are committed to a political & diplomatic settlement, we do not succumb to provocations: Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukrainian Ambassador to United Nations at UNSC meeting on Ukraine

We demand Russia to return to the table for negotiations. We condemn the order to deploy additional Russian occupation troops in the territories of Ukraine. We demand the immediate and complete verifiable withdrawal of occupation troops: Ukraine at UNSC meeting

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed his deep concern over Russia's decision on the status of Donetsk and Lugansk of Ukraine. The secretary-general is "greatly concerned" by the decision by the Russian Federation related to the status of certain areas of Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN chief, said on Monday. Through a statement attributable to Dujarric, the UN chief called for "peaceful settlement" of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, in accordance with the Minsk Agreements, as endorsed by the Security Council in resolution 2202 (2015). "The secretary-general considers the decision of the Russian Federation to be a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations," said the statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine after recognising them as independent on Monday, accelerating a crisis the West fears could unleash a major war.

Air India's special ferry flight left for Ukraine from India today morning to bring back the Indian nationals. The Dreamliner B-787 aircraft deployed for the special operation with a capacity of over 200 seats. The special flight from Ukraine will land in Delhi tonight.

The United Nations Security Council is holding an emergency meeting at the request of Ukraine, the US and other European nations.

Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, sought to project calm, telling the country: “We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don’t owe anyone anything. And we won’t give anything to anyone.”

After recognizing the independence of the LPR and the DPR, Putin instructed the Russian armed forces to ensure peace in the two "countries." Earlier in the day, the Russian Security Council held an extraordinary meeting, when the country's top officials supported the recognition of the two "republics."

According to Putin, it just "a matter of time" for NATO to accept Ukraine as a member state and then build facilities on its territory so that the level of military threats to Russia will rise dramatically. As Moscow asked the United States and NATO for security guarantees, the Western countries precisely ignored Russia's fundamental concerns and nothing has changed in their position, the Russian President noted. In such a condition, Russia "has every right to take retaliatory measures to ensure its own security," he said. Putin said he is aware that the West is trying to "blackmail" Russia again with sanctions, but he believes that sanctions will continue just because Russia exists, regardless of the situation in Ukraine.

The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin is ordering forces to maintain peace in eastern Ukraine. But it is not immediately clear whether or when troops would enter the country. The announcement follows a day of fast-moving developments in which Putin announced the recognition of separatist regions in Ukraine. The United States and the European Union responded by saying they would impose sanctions. (AP) 

The European Union's top officials have also said the bloc will impose sanctions. The European Union's top officials say the bloc will impose sanctions against those involved in Russia's recognition of two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine amid fears of a potential Russian invasion of the country. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel say in a joint statement that the recognition is a blatant violation of international law. The statement adds that the bloc will react with sanctions and reiterates its unwavering support to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

The White House says President Joe Biden is ordering new sanctions after Russia moved to recognise separatist eastern Ukraine regions. The Biden administration calls Monday's announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin a blatant violation of Russia's international commitments. The sanctions will prohibit new investment, trade and financing in the two separatist regions of Ukraine recognised by Putin.

It was a piece of fast-moving political theater in Moscow, a carefully orchestrated political announcement years in the making. Russian President Vladimir Putin moved quickly on Monday to recognise the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, framing his show of defiance against the West in a series of nationally televised appearances that came amid Western fears of Russian invasion in Ukraine. Immediately after the pro-Russian leaders of Ukraine's separatist people's republics were shown on Russian TV pleading with Putin to acknowledge them as independent states, Putin chaired a Kremlin meeting Monday in which a lineup of senior Russian officials all backed the move.  Hours later, Putin spoke in an hour-long televised address to the nation and then was shown on TV signing the recognition decrees. FULL STORY