'Unsatisfactory' But 'Unsurprising': US Over India's Stand On Russia-Ukraine War

WASHINGTON, March 25: A senior White House official said on Friday India's position at the United Nations over the crisis in Ukraine has been "unsatisfactory" but was also unsurprising given its historical relationship with Russia.

Mira Rapp-Hooper, director for the Indo-Pacific on the White House National Security Council, told an online forum hosted by Washington's School of Advanced International Studies India needed alternatives to continued close ties with Russia.

"I think we would certainly all acknowledge and agree that when it comes to votes at the UN, India's position on the current crisis has been unsatisfactory, to say the least. But it's also been totally unsurprising," she said.

India has developed close ties with Washington in recent years and is a vital part of the Quad grouping aimed at pushing back against China. But it has a long-standing relationship with Moscow, which remains a major supplier of its defense equipment.

India has avoided condemning Russian actions in Ukraine and abstained in UN Security Council votes on the issue.

Ms Rapp-Hooper said India had cleaved closer to Russia as a hedge as its relationship with China worsened, but it was thinking "long and hard" about its defense dependency on Russia.

"I think our perspective would be that the way forward involves keeping India close, thinking hard about how to present it with options, so that it can continue to provide for its strategic autonomy," she said.

Even before the Ukraine crisis erupted, Delhi upset Washington with its purchase of Russia's S-400 air defense system, putting it at risk of U.S. sanctions under a 2017 US law aimed at deterring countries from buying Russian military hardware.

Analysts say any sanctions against India could jeopardize US cooperation with Delhi in the Quad forum with Japan and Australia aimed at countering China's expanding influence.

Ms Rapp-Hooper said Washington and its allies and partners needed to look at their supply chains and think about how they can help countries that may be considering how to replace Russian defense systems.

"We have a number of partners that have chosen to keep their chips in with Russia, in terms of their defense procurement. in part as a hedge against China, but who are now in a place of reconsidering the wisdom of those decisions," she said.

"Not only will they need to make long-term decisions about how to potentially replace Russian systems in the immediate term, they will need to be able to get supplies and spare parts to be able to maintain their own militaries."

India's response to Russian invasion 'shaky': Biden

WASHINGTON, March 22: Noting how India was an "exception" amongst all its allies who responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a unified, concerted, and strong manner, the US President Joe Biden observed that India stood on shaky grounds not only while dealing with Putin's aggression but also in actively vocalizing their protest in that regard.

Addressing a business roundtable of 16 CEOs from various sectors to apprise the industry of the latest developments on the crisis and discuss the way ahead, Biden stated that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), with the possible exception of India being somewhat shaky, has otherwise been extremely strong, with Japan and Australia standing firm in dealing with Russia.

Earlier, India had also refused to join votes condemning Russia at the United Nations, underlining its close ties with Moscow. Reportedly, until last month, India and the US were trying to resolve their differences diplomatically on the issue of Russian aggression against its pro-West neighbor, which has now entered its 27th day.

Presently, Russia is demanding the surrender of the southern and strategically crucial port city of Mariupol, even as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ruled out a surrender, demanding Putin to engage in further talks. Additionally, the Ukraine government also accused Russian troops of kidnapping three Israelis in the southeastern town of Melitopol.

India is the only country from among QUAD nations that continues to source oil from Russia. This goes in dire contrast to the West's ambitions of isolating Moscow globally.

The QUAD - comprising Japan, India, Australia, and the United States - is not an alliance per se, but more so a "grouping of countries driven by shared interests and values, interested in strengthening a rules-based order in the strategically-important Indo-Pacific region".

Per an Indian official, while Russia accounts for supplying less than 1 percent of India's crude oil imports, the country needs to keep focusing on "competitive energy sources" post the hike in oil prices following the Ukraine conflict. About 85 percent of India's crude oil requirements are met by such imports.

Biden went on to effusively talk about NATO, saying how they were "more united than ever", having presented a concerted front in the face of Putin's anticipation of the 30-member group falling apart. “NATO has never been stronger, more united, in its entire history than it is today", he said.

Russia hypersonic missile 'not a game changer' in Ukraine: US

WASHINGTON, March 20: Russia's claim it used a hypersonic missile in Ukraine was a way to reclaim war momentum, but the next-generation weaponry has not proved to be a "game changer," the Pentagon's chief said Sunday.

Moscow has said it has fired two hypersonic missiles in Ukraine, and while US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would not "confirm or dispute" whether Russia used such weapons, he warned that President Vladimir Putin's invasion was undergoing a change in tactics including the targeting of civilians.

Russia's use of the hard-to-intercept hypersonics would mark a dramatic escalation of its campaign to force Ukraine to abandon hopes of closer ties with the West.

But "I would not see it as a game changer," Austin told CBS talk show "Face the Nation."

Biden warns Xi of 'consequences' if China gives Russia material support for invasion

WASHINGTON, March 19: In his call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Joe Biden on Friday described to him the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians, the White House said.

The about two-hour-long conversation between the two leaders over a secure video call focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it said.

“President Biden detailed our efforts to prevent and then respond to the invasion, including by imposing costs on Russia. He described the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians,” the White House said in a readout of the call.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the vast majority of the nearly two hours was spent with the president outlining the views of the United States, its allies and partners on this crisis, including a detailed overview of efforts to prevent and then respond to the invasion, “how we got here, steps we've taken, where we've gone and why”.

A senior administration official told reporters that the conversation was direct.

“It was substantive and it was detailed. The two leaders spent the preponderance of their time discussing Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, as well as the implications of the crisis for U.S.-China relations and the international order,” the official said.

“Biden shared with Xi a detailed review of how things have developed to this point, his assessment of the situation today, and President Biden underscored his support for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis,” the official said, adding that Biden described the US' assessment of Putin's actions and his miscalculations.

“He also described the unity of the United States and its allies and partners, the unprecedented coordination with our European, NATO, and Indo-Pacific partners, and the overwhelming global unity and condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as the support for Ukraine,” said the official.

“Biden made clear the implication and consequences of China providing material support -- if China were to provide material support -- to Russia as it prosecutes its brutal war in Ukraine, not just for China's relationship with the United States but for the wider world,” the official said.

During the call, Biden stressed concerns that Russia is spreading disinformation about biological weapons in Ukraine as a pretext for a false-flag operation and underscored concerns about echoing such disinformation.

“President Xi raised Taiwan. President Biden reiterated that the United States remains committed to our one-China policy and is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances. And he underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the official said.

US Bans Russian Oil Imports Over Ukraine Invasion

WASHINGTON, March 8: President Joe Biden announced a ban on US imports of Russian oil on Tuesday, in the administration's most far-reaching action yet to punish Moscow for invading Ukraine.

"We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy. That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at US ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to (President Vladimir) Putin," Biden said in an address from the White House, adding that the decision was taken "in close consultation" with allies.

The ban came with Democrats threatening legislation to force Biden's hand, despite the likely impact on already soaring gas prices.

'If Zelensky is assassinated': US says Ukraine has alternative plans

WASHINGTON, March 7: The Ukraine government has a contingency plan in place if President Volodymyr Zelensky is killed during the Russian invasion, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during an interview with CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday.

'The Ukrainians have plans in place -- that I'm not going to talk about or get into any details on -- to make sure that there is what we would call "continuity of government" one way or another. And let me leave it at that,' Blinken said when he was asked if the United States was working on an interim plan to support a Ukrainian government without Zelensky.

This comes amid reports that Zelensky has survived three assassination attempts since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky too talked about the threat to his life. In fact, he opened the recent Zoom meeting with US senators saying that this is probably the last time they were seeing him live.

In this context, Blinken was asked what will be the consequence if Russia kills Zelensky.

"First of all, let me say this, the leadership that president Zelensky has shown, the entire government has shown is remarkable. They've been the embodiment of this incredibly brave Ukrainian people. I was just a day ago in Ukraine, at least about 15 feet into Ukraine with my- my friend and colleague, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba," Blinked said adding that the Ukrainian government will be continued one way or another.

Talking about the impact of sanctions on Russia, Blinken said the recession has set in in Russia. "Consumers aren't able to buy basic products because companies are fleeing Russia, so it's having a big impact. But at the same time, we continue to see President Putin doubling down and digging in on this aggression against Ukraine. That's continuing. I think we have to be prepared. Unfortunately, tragically for this to go on for some time," Blinken said.

US says Nato members have ‘green light’ to send fighter jets to Ukraine

WASHINGTON, March 6: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that Nato members can send fighter jets to Ukraine, and the US will assist those countries in replacing the aircraft they would be missing as a result, said a CBS news report.

Asked if Poland, a Nato member, is allowed to send fighter jets to Ukraine, Blinken replied: “That gets a green light, in fact, we’re talking with our Polish friends right now about what we might be able to do to backfill their needs if in fact they choose to provide these fighter jets to Ukraine.