NEW DELHI: The Indian embassy in Ukraine has put up a notice on its website, urging all Indians living there to register with the embassy. The deadline is 5 pm, January 31. It has also asked them to keep checking the embassy’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
This is done amidst ongoing military build-up on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
“With an intent to co-ordinate with Indian citizens effectively, and disseminate information in a swift manner, the Embassy of India, Kyiv, requests all Indian citizens, including students presently located in the territory of Ukraine, to fill up the below form. Those students presently pursuing online education from India are directed NOT to fill-up the form,’’ the embassy said in a release.
Meanwhile, the US, UK and Australia have asked their diplomats and their families to leave Ukraine on a voluntary basis.
This, they said, was due to the continued threat of Russian military. France has asked its citizens to avoid non-essential travel.
The US and Ukraine have been accusing Russia of making preparations to invade. Moscow denies such claims and maintains it has no intention of attacking any country.
A White House spokesperson had said on Tuesday the US would welcome any country’s attempt to play a role in de-escalation of tension between Russia and Ukraine, including India.
It is reported that the US is considering sending 5,000 troops to NATO allies in the Baltic and eastern Europe region amid the military build-up by Russia.
Tensions over Ukraine have increased in recent months, with Russia and NATO accusing each other of amassing troops along the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Meanwhile, the United States is "ready either way" in handling the escalating Ukraine crisis, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Moscow on Wednesday as the Biden administration's top envoy delivered a letter to the Russian government in this regard.
"All told, it sets out a serious diplomatic path forward, should Russia choose it," Blinken told reporters at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department soon after US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan delivered the documents to the Russian government in Moscow.
"The document we have delivered includes concerns of the United States and our allies and partners about Russia's actions that undermine security, a principled and pragmatic evaluation of the concerns that Russia has raised, and our own proposals for areas where we may be able to find common ground," he said.
"We make clear that there are core principles that we are committed to uphold and defend -- including Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the right of States to choose their own security arrangements and alliances. We have addressed the possibility of reciprocal transparency measures regarding force posture in Ukraine, as well as measures to increase confidence regarding military exercises and manoeuvres in Europe," Blinken added.
The United States, he said, is open to dialogue.
"We prefer diplomacy and we are prepared to move forward where there is the possibility of communication and cooperation if Russia de-escalates its aggression toward Ukraine, stops the inflammatory rhetoric and approaches discussions about the future of security in Europe in a spirit of reciprocity," Blinken said.
America's responses are fully coordinated with Ukraine and its European allies and partners, with whom it has been consulting continuously for weeks, he added.
"We sought their input and incorporated it into the final version delivered to Moscow," he said.
Later, Blinken briefed Congressional leaders on this.
America's actions over the past week have sharpened the choice facing Russia now, he said.
"We have laid out a diplomatic path. We have lined up steep consequences should Russia choose further aggression. We have stepped forward with more support for Ukraine's security and economy. And we and our allies and partners are united across the board," the US secretary of state said.
"Now we will continue to press forward and prepare. It remains up to Russia to decide how to respond. We are ready either way," he added.
Shortly after Blinken spoke, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels that the alliance had sent a separate reply to Russia with an offer to improve communications, examine ways to avoid military incidents or accidents, and discuss arms control.
But, like Blinken, he rejected any attempt to halt membership.
"We cannot and will not compromise on the principles on which the security of our alliance, and security in Europe and North America rest," Stoltenberg said.
"This is about respecting nations and their right to choose their own path."
"Russia should refrain from coercive force posturing, aggressive rhetoric and malign activities directed against allies and other nations. Russia should also withdraw its forces from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova where they are deployed without these countries' consent," he said.
While flatly refusing to consider any changes to NATO's open-door policy, its relationship with non-ally Ukraine, or allied troop and military deployments in Eastern Europe, Blinken said the US is open to other ideas to ease Russia's stated concerns.
The US proposals, echoed in the NATO document, include the potential for negotiations over offensive missile placements and military exercises in Eastern Europe as well as broad arms control agreements as long as Russia withdraws its troops from the Ukrainian border and agrees to halt inflammatory rhetoric designed to deepen divisions and discord among the allies and within Ukraine itself.
Moscow has demanded guarantees that NATO will never admit Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations as members and that the alliance will roll back troop deployments in former Soviet bloc nations.
Some of these, like the membership pledge, are nonstarters for the US and its allies, creating a seemingly intractable stalemate that many fear can only end in a war.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied it has plans to attack Ukraine, but the US and NATO are worried about Russia massing its troops near Ukraine and conducting a series of sweeping military manoeuvres.
As part of the drills, motorised infantry and artillery units in southwestern Russia practised firing live ammunition, warplanes in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea performed bombing runs, dozens of warships sailed for training exercises in the Black Sea and the Arctic, and Russian fighter jets and paratroopers arrived in Belarus for joint war games.
The Biden administration and NATO told Russia on Wednesday there will be no US or NATO concessions on Moscow's main demands to resolve the crisis over Ukraine.
In separate written responses delivered to the Russians, the US and NATO held firm to the alliance's open-door policy for membership, rejected a demand to permanently ban Ukraine from joining, and said allied deployments of troops and military equipment in Eastern Europe are nonnegotiable.
"There is no change, there will be no change," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
Also not up for negotiation will be the US and European response to any Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said, repeating the mantra that any such incursion would be met with massive consequences and severe economic costs.
The responses were not unexpected and mirrored what senior US and NATO officials have been saying for weeks.
Nonetheless, they and the eventual Russian reaction to them could determine whether Europe will again be plunged into war.
There was no immediate response from Russia but Russian officials have warned that Moscow would quickly take "retaliatory measures" if the US and its allies reject its demands.
Seeking possible off-ramps that would allow Russia to withdraw the estimated 100,000 troops it has deployed near Ukraine's border without appearing to have lost a battle of wills, the US response did outline areas in which some of Russia's concerns might be addressed, provided it de-escalates tensions with Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, Blinken said Russia would not be surprised by the contents of the several page American document that US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan delivered on Wednesday to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"All told it sets out a serious diplomatic path forward should Russia choose it," he said.
"The document we have delivered includes concerns of the United States and our allies and partners about Russia's actions that undermine security, a principled and pragmatic evaluation of the concerns that Russia has raised, and our own proposals for areas where we may be able to find common ground."
Blinken said he hoped to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about the response in the coming days.
But he stressed the decision about pursuing diplomacy or conflict rests with Russia and more specifically, with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We will see how they respond," he said.
"But there is no doubt in my mind that if Russia were to approach this seriously and in a spirit of reciprocity with a determination to enhance collective security for all of us, there are very positive things in this document that could be pursued. We cannot make that decision for President Putin."
Shortly after Blinken spoke, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels that the alliance had sent a separate reply to Russia with an offer to improve communications, examine ways to avoid military incidents or accidents, and discuss arms control.
But, like Blinken, he rejected any attempt to halt membership.
"We cannot and will not compromise on the principles on which the security of our alliance, and security in Europe and North America rest," Stoltenberg said.
"This is about respecting nations and their right to choose their own path."
"Russia should refrain from coercive force posturing, aggressive rhetoric and malign activities directed against allies and other nations. Russia should also withdraw its forces from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova where they are deployed without these countries' consent," he said.
While flatly refusing to consider any changes to NATO's open-door policy, its relationship with non-ally Ukraine, or allied troop and military deployments in Eastern Europe, Blinken said the US is open to other ideas to ease Russia's stated concerns.
The US proposals, echoed in the NATO document, include the potential for negotiations over offensive missile placements and military exercises in Eastern Europe as well as broad arms control agreements as long as Russia withdraws its troops from the Ukrainian border and agrees to halt inflammatory rhetoric designed to deepen divisions and discord among the allies and within Ukraine itself.
Moscow has demanded guarantees that NATO will never admit Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations as members and that the alliance will roll back troop deployments in former Soviet bloc nations.
Some of these, like the membership pledge, are nonstarters for the US and its allies, creating a seemingly intractable stalemate that many fear can only end in a war.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied it has plans to attack Ukraine, but the US and NATO are worried about Russia massing its troops near Ukraine and conducting a series of sweeping military manoeuvres.
As part of the drills, motorised infantry and artillery units in southwestern Russia practised firing live ammunition, warplanes in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea performed bombing runs, dozens of warships sailed for training exercises in the Black Sea and the Arctic, and Russian fighter jets and paratroopers arrived in Belarus for joint war games.
Speaking to Russian lawmakers on Wednesday before the US and NATO responses were delivered, Lavrov said he and other top officials will advise Putin on the next steps.
"If the West continues its aggressive course, Moscow will take the necessary retaliatory measures," Lavrov said.
But he indicated Russia would not wait forever.
"We won't allow our proposals to be drowned in endless discussions," he said.
Russia warned on Wednesday it would quickly take "retaliatory measures" if the US and its allies reject its security demands and continue their "aggressive" policies, ratcheting up pressure on the West amid concerns that Moscow is planning to invade Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly denied it has any such designs, but the United States and its NATO allies are worried because Russia has massed an estimated 100,000 troops near Ukraine's border and launched a series of war games in the region.
At the heart of the standoff are questions about Ukraine's future: Russia has demanded guarantees that NATO will never admit the country and other ex-Soviet nations as members and that the alliance will roll back troop deployments in other former Soviet bloc countries.
Some of these, like the membership pledge, are nonstarters for NATO, creating a seemingly intractable stalemate that many fear can only end in a war.
Speaking to lawmakers Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he and other top officials will advise President Vladimir Putin on the next steps after receiving written replies from the United States to the demands.
Those answers are expected this week even though the US and its allies have already made clear they will reject the top Russian demands.
"If the West continues its aggressive course, Moscow will take the necessary retaliatory measures," he said.
While Russia is currently waiting for the American reply, Lavrov indicated it wouldn't wait forever: "We won't allow our proposals to be drowned in endless discussions," he said.
Asked by lawmakers if Russia could expand military cooperation with Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, Lavrov responded that Moscow has close ties with those countries.
Earlier this month, Lavrov's deputy pointedly refused to rule out the deployment of Russian military assets to Cuba and Venezuela, far closer to the US than Ukraine, if Moscow's security demands aren't met.
NATO said this week it was bolstering its deterrence in the Baltic Sea region and the US ordered 8,500 troops on higher alert for potential deployment to Europe.
Western nations have also sent planeloads of weapons to help Ukraine strengthen its defenses.
Amid the escalating tensions, Ukrainian officials have sought to calm nerves.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Wednesday that while the concentration of Russian troops near Ukraine poses a threat, "their number is now insufficient for a large-scale offensive."
"They are still missing some key military elements and systems to mount a big, full-scale offensive," Kuleba told reporters.
As others have, he noted that causing alarm could be an end in itself.
Russia, he said, hopes to destabilize Ukraine by "spreading panic, raising pressure on Ukraine's financial system and launching cyberattacks."
"President Putin would be happy to see that plan succeed so that he doesn't even need to turn to military force to put Ukraine in a vulnerable position," he said.
His comments were latest from Ukrainian officials who have sought to reassure their citizens.
Speaking late Tuesday in the second televised speech to the nation in as many days, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was "strong enough to keep everything under control and derail any attempts at destabilisation."
Several rounds of high-stakes diplomacy have failed to yield any breakthroughs in the standoff, but another attempt was going forward Wednesday.
Presidential advisers from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany are set to meet in Paris to discuss ways to revive a stalled peace agreement for eastern Ukraine.
In 2014, following the ouster of a Kremlin-friendly president in Kyiv, Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and threw its weight behind a separatist insurgency in the country's eastern industrial heartland.
Fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed rebels has killed over 14,000 people, and efforts to reach a settlement have stalled.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow expects a "good frank" talk at the Paris meeting.
In addition to the military moves, the US and its allies have threatened sanctions like never before if Moscow sends its troops into Ukraine, but they have given few details, saying it's best to keep Putin guessing.
On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden told reporters that Putin "continues to build forces along Ukraine's border," and an attack "would be the largest invasion since World War II. It would change the world."
He warned that there would be serious economic consequences for Putin, including personal sanctions, in the event of an invasion.
Asked to comment on Biden's statement, Peskov pointed out that the Russian president and other top officials don't have assets in the West but reaffirmed that such US sanctions would be "politically destructive" for bilateral ties.
Britain is also promising sanctions, and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has urged European nations to do more to support Ukraine.
The UK has sent anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, though it has ruled out sending combat troops.
"We'll be legislating to toughen up our sanctions regime and make sure we are fully able to hit both individuals and companies and banks in Russia in the event of an incursion," she told the BBC.
"What's important is that all of our allies do the same."
Amid the soaring tensions, the US, Britain, Australia, Germany and Canada have also moved to withdraw some of their diplomats and dependents from Kyiv.
(With PTI Inputs)