NATO

"This is the most dangerous moment in European security for a generation," NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg said at the conclusion of an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Brussels on Tuesday. "Europe and North America continue to stand strong together in NATO, committed to defend and protect each other," he added.

“India has been in touch with all concerned parties. It is our considered view that the issue can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue… India’s interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond,” Ambassador Tirumurti said.

Washington ignored the "package nature" of the Russian proposals and deliberately chose some "convenient" topics, the ministry said in a written reaction to the recent US reply to the security guarantee treaty, Xinhua news agency reported. This approach together with rhetoric from US officials reinforces doubts that Washington is truly committed to rectifying the European security situation, the ministry said.

 “Do we want this or not? Of course, not. That is exactly why we put forward proposals for a process of negotiations… We are ready to work further together. We are ready to go down the negotiations track,” Putin said in a press brief after a four-hour long meeting with Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Putin, however, said that NATO and the US must take Russia’s security concerns seriously.

The phone talk comes amid NATO member Turkey's mediation efforts to defuse tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Turkey acts in a "logic of calming the tensions," Erdogan told the NATO Chief on Monday, according to a presidential statement. Stoltenberg tweeted that he exchanged views with Erdogan on "Russia's buildup in and around Ukraine.

“If war breaks out, it will come at an enormous human cost to Ukraine, but we believe that based on our preparations and our response, it will come at a strategic cost to Russia as well,” Sullivan said. “We believe that the Russians have put in place the capabilities to mount a significant military operation into Ukraine, and we have been working hard to prepare a response,” he added. He made these comments even as the US sent 1700 troops to Poland “to defend NATO territory”.

The 1,700 US soldiers sent to Poland on Sunday will operate in the country's eastern-southern part, according to the Polish Defense Ministry. Logistics, equipment and a handful of soldiers arrived in other planes on Friday and Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine are growing as the Western countries are stepping up military maneuvers near the Russian borders.

The deployment includes 1,000 troops currently based in Germany to be repositioned to Romania and another 2,000 troops to be sent from the US to Germany and Poland, John Kirby, the Defense Department's spokesman, was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. "These are not permanent moves. They are moves designed to respond to the current security environment."

“We have no plans to deploy NATO combat troops to Ukraine…we are focusing on providing support…there is a big difference between being a NATO member and being a strong and highly valued partner as Ukraine. There’s no doubt about that,” Stoltenberg said in a BBC interview when asked about NATO’s response if Russia invades Ukraine.

"Everyone understands that Ukraine is not ready (to join NATO) and will not make any contribution to strengthening NATO's security," Lavrov told a Russian TV programme. Commenting on statements that NATO is defensive, the top diplomat recalled how the US-led military bloc "bombed Yugoslavia for almost three months, invaded Libya in violation of a UN Security Council resolution, and behaved in Afghanistan", Xinhua news reported.