Ukraine crisis testing entire international system ,U.S. and allies step up sanctions pressure on Russia

The latest developments in Ukraine are testing “the entire international system”, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said at a media stakeout on adding “we must pass this test.”

“Let me be clear: The decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called ‘independence’ of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine”, spelled out the top UN official.

He argued that such a unilateral measure not only conflicts directly with the principles of the UN Charter but is also inconsistent with the so-called Friendly Relations Declaration of the General Assembly, which the International Court of Justice has repeatedly cited as representing international law.

Mr. Guterres described Russia’s move as “a death blow” to the Security Council-endorsed Minsk Agreements, the fragile peace process regulating the conflict in eastern Ukraine, according to a statement issued by United Nations.

The UN, in line with the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, “stands fully behind the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders”, stated the Secretary-General.

He reminded that the Organization continues to support the people of Ukraine through its humanitarian operations and human rights efforts.

At this critical moment, he called for “an immediate ceasefire and re-establishment of the rule of law”.“It is high time to return to the path of dialogue and negotiations. We must rally and meet this challenge together for peace, and to save the people of Ukraine and beyond from the scourge of war”, Mr. Guterres said.

U.S. and allies step up sanctions pressure on Russia over Ukraine

Meanwhile ,the United States and its allies sought on Wednesday to step up sanctions pressure on Russia over the deployment of troops in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, in one of the worst security crises in Europe in decades, Reuters reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has massed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders, according to U.S. estimates, and signed a decree on the deployment of troops in the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk enclaves to “keep the peace” – a justification the United States says is “nonsense”.

Putin on Monday ( Feb.21 ) recognised the separatist enclaves in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine which adjoin Russia, deepening Western fears of a major war in Europe by raising the prospect of a full-scale invasion beyond the breakaway areas.

The United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan responded with plans to target banks and elites while Germany froze a major gas pipeline project from Russia.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, announcing more measures on Wednesday, said Britain would stop Russia selling sovereign debt in London.

Britain on Tuesday announced sanctions on three billionaires with close links to Putin, and five small lenders including Promsvyazbank.But, like other U.S. allies, it has said more sanctions would come if Russia launched a full invasion of its neighbour.

Moscow is calling for security guarantees, including a promise that Ukraine will never join NATO, while the United States and its allies offer Putin confidence-building and arms control steps to defuse the stand-off.

Plans announced by U.S. President Joe Biden to bolster Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania include sending 800 infantry soldiers and up to eight F-35 fighter jets to locations along NATO’s eastern flank, a U.S. official said, but are a redistribution, not additions.

Germany said on Tuesday it was halting the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline owned by Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom , a move likely to raise gas prices in Europe.

U.S. sanctions target Russian elites and two state-owned banks, excluding them from the U.S. banking system, banning them from trading with Americans, and freezing their U.S. assets. They also seek to deny the Russian government access to Western financing , reports Reuters news agency.Source :UN / Reuters

23 Feb. 2022

Image courtesy: BBC