Russia Ukraine Conflict Highlights |Reiterate our call for the peaceful resolution of the situation: India at UNSC

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We reiterate our call for the peaceful resolution of the situation by sincere and sustained diplomatic efforts to ensure that concerns of all sides are amicably resolved through constructive dialogue: India's Permanent Rep to United Nations TS Tirumurti, at UNSC meeting on Ukraine.

More than 20,000 Indian students and nationals live and study in different parts of Ukraine, including in its border areas. The well-being of Indian nationals is of priority to us: India's Permanent Rep to United Nations TS Tirumurti, at UNSC meeting on Ukraine

India's interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions taking into account legitimate security interests of all countries to secure long-term peace,stability in the region & beyond: India at UNSC meeting on Ukraine

Any steps that increase tension may best be avoided by all sides in the larger interest of securing international peace and security. Quiet and constructive diplomacy is the need of the hour: India's Permanent Representative to United Nations TS Tirumurti, at UNSC meeting on Ukraine

The only goal of the West is to organise a war. If this is not the case, then the puppet govt of Ukraine would have been compelled to implement the Minsk agreement a long time ago. Since this is not taking place, we can state that the West wants a war with Russia: Russia at UNSC

Yesterday the Vice President of Ukraine stated that there will be no new laws on the special status of Donbas, so no direct agreements. She also acknowledged that there is no pressure exerted by the West on them to implement the Minsk agreement: Russia at UNSC

Russia can announce today that it will not invade Ukraine, state it clearly and plainly to the world. And then demonstrate it by sending your troops, tanks back to their barracks and hangars, and sending diplomats to negotiating table: US Secy of State Antony Blinken at UNSC

This Council's primary responsibility is the preservation of peace & security. The most immediate threat to peace & security is Russia's looming aggression against Ukraine. This crisis directly affects every member of this Council and all countries of the world.Russia plans to manufacture a pretext for its attack. This could be a violent event that Russia will blame on Ukraine or an outrageous accusation against the Ukraine govt.Diplomacy is the only responsible way to resolve this crisis and an essential part of this is through the implementation of the Minsk Agreement :US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Russia-Ukraine tensions, at UNSC meeting in New York

Russia announced Thursday it could respond militarily if Washington does not meet its security demands and said it wanted all US troops out of Eastern and Central Europe. "In the absence of will on the American side to negotiate firm and legally binding guarantees on our security from the United States and its allies, Russia will be forced to respond, including with military-technical measures," the foreign ministry said. The statement is the latest in a back-and-forth between Russia and the West that started in December when Moscow put forward sweeping security demands to Washington and NATO. The United States rejected key Russian demands, including a ban on Ukraine joining NATO and clauses limiting Western influence in Eastern Europe and former Soviet states.

The United Nations urged restraint by all parties in eastern Ukraine amid fresh shelling incidents Thursday that violated a ceasefire under the Minsk Agreement. "If verified, these must not be allowed to escalate further. We call on all sides to exercise maximum restraint at this sensitive time," Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN undersecretary general for political affairs, told a Security Council meeting on Ukraine. DiCarlo called the current situation, with what the United States says is some 150,000 troops positioned on Ukraine's border for a possible invasion, "extremely dangerous." DiCarlo called the issues underlying the confrontation "complex and longstanding." "Although seemingly intractable, given the stakes involved for our collective security and European stability, these issues can and must be solved through diplomacy," she said.

I just arrived in New York City. I will address the UN Security Council regarding Russia's threat to peace & security. We seek to resolve this crisis diplomatically but are prepared to impose severe measures should Russia further invade Ukraine: US Secy of State Antony Blinken

Gold touched an eight-month high on Thursday, after Russian news reports of a mortar fire in eastern Ukraine boosted demand for the safe-haven metal and as less hawkish signals from U.S. Federal Reserve's last meeting minutes underpinned bullion. Spot gold rose 0.8% to $1,883.17 per ounce by 1153 GMT, after rising as much as 1.3% to $1,892.91, its highest since June 11. U.S. gold futures gained 0.7% to $1,885.10. "The Ukraine crisis has given extra momentum to bullion bulls who had been gravitating towards gold as an inflation hedge, evidenced by the recent surge of inflows into bullion-backed ETFs," Exinity analyst Han Tan said.