[Ani Prakash]

To follow up on my previous comment, I would just like to take note of India’s recent abstention from yesterday’s UNGA resolution on suspending Russia from the UN Human Rights Council. India, since its independence in 1947, was born to be a representative democracy and still this day serves as one of the largest democracies in the world. Since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, India has continuously abstained UNGA resolutions or UNSC resolutions on condemning Russia for their violations of international law and still hasn’t done anything necessary to prevent Russia from committing further atrocities against civilians in Ukraine. As an Indian-American, I find it deeply disturbing to see India continuing to act reluctant over punishing Russia for their human rights abuses. I get that India and Russia possess a historical relationship that dates back to 1971, when the former USSR helped India defeat Pakistan during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. I understand that 50% of the weaponry used by the Indian military comes from Russia and that India would not have the willpower to counter China, if they aren’t provided with security guarantees from the Russians. That doesn’t mean India should continue to act hesitant over standing up to aggressors against our world system. Russia has systemically committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of aggression against Ukrainian civilians since the start of their invasion. Now is the time for representative democracies, like India, to stand up and stand on the right side of history, rather than the wrong side of history. India is a prospective candidate for permanent membership in the UN Security Council and for this republic to be successfully qualified in receiving that permanent seat, this is the time to speak up. This is the time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government of the Republic of India stand up against Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, stand alongside other Western nations to increasingly isolate Russia from the world stage, and stand up for our Western ideals and our democracy. To Prime Minister Modi, to Foreign Minister Jaishankar, and to Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti to the UN, now is the time to act.

[Ani Prakash]

Topic: Russia’s suspension from UN Human Rights Council Russia’s recent suspension from the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday is a monumental step pushed by global democracies on their efforts to respect human rights and the foundational principles of international law. Since Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, we have witnessed day after day Russia doing little to uphold the fundamental values of human rights. The recent vote by the General Assembly is a step up for respecting human rights and preserving our international legal system. But, this is only just the beginning. We need other countries to do more than what they are pursuing in order to continue isolating Russia from the international community. These include democracies, like Brazil and India, who have abstained from voting in favor for removing Russia from the UN Human Rights Council and I feel that if these representative democracies continue to preside as the reluctant warriors in this fight against tyranny, this would invite Russia to pursue further atrocities against innocent civilians in Ukraine. Now is the time to act and now is the time to stand on the right side of history for our democracy and our Western values to be safeguarded from the shadows of autocracy.

[Ani Prakash]

With regards to the current situation unfolding in Ukraine, the Biden administration’s response to the conflict clearly sends a message to the rest of the world that these are dramatic turning points we are witnessing under the scope of modern-history and world affairs. Russia’s belligerent and “unjustifiable” invasion in Ukraine is one of the reasons why we are witnessing our NATO partners feel united for the first time since World War II and even during the Cold War. With the NATO Response Force activated, with Article(4) being triggered by most of our NATO partners in the eastern flank, with a rally of Western nations and democracies(both in Europe and in Asia) joining in unison on escalating their imposition of sanctions and export restrictions to the Russians, and with countries definite to pursue drastic changes on their traditional foreign policy doctrines(like Germany and Switzerland), these indications are sending signals to the rest of the world that our world systems have changed, our foreign policy doctrines have configured, and the dynamics of world affairs just experienced a tectonic shift over how several countries, including the ones in the West and some in Asia, would respond to such a maneuver pursued by autocracies, like Russia.

[Ani Prakash]

President Vladimir Putin’s recent authorization for a “special military operation” in Donbas tonight is sending signals to the global community that an invasion is underway. As I am watching Don Lemon’s segment now on CNN, it appears that the CNN press team, covering this situation on the ground, heard a series of blasts and missile strikes on the outskirts of Kyiv and the city of Kharkiv. This barrage of unprecedented incursions and gray-zone activities launched by the Russian military are deeply concerning and highly provocative. This example of hybrid warfare that we were just informed with on national TV is raising dozens of alarms to the West and the rest of the world that Russia pulled the trigger on Ukraine and an invasion has now begun.

[Ani Prakash]

To add on to the Associated Press article on Macron’s shuttle diplomacy to Moscow and Kyiv, it is remarkable that President Macron is pursuing any incentive necessary to elevate France’s status as the leading intermediary behind de-escalating what appears to be the worst security crisis since the Second World War. I applaud President Macron’s efforts on facilitating high-level talks with Putin and Zelenskyy as this example of diplomatic statecraft from the French sends clear signals to the world that these negotiations with Russia will not reach an impasse unless the Kremlin is serious in enacting a resolution needed to avert this crisis from becoming a costly total war. As President Macron is now in Berlin to facilitate yet another round of high-level talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda, I convey my wishes to the French President hoping that the three European leaders can work their way towards crafting a trilateral agreement necessary to restore peace and stabilize the regional security order of the Eastern flank.

[Ani Prakash]

With regards to ABC News’s coverage on the Putin’s recent meeting with President Xi of China last Friday, the entente established by these two powerful leaders sends a clear message to the United States and our allies that Russia’s deepened alliance with the Chinese is not only deemed challenging to the frameworks of the Western security order but can generate a tectonic shift towards the systems embodied within our present world order. Historically, both Russia and China were allies during the Cold War so it is quite conceivable that Putin would have pursued this emphatic decision on fostering an enduring diplomatic relationship with the Chinese. However, we must all keep in mind that despite the historical factors that enabled these two leaders to facilitate this partnership, both China and Russia are two emerging superpowers with repressive and authoritarian regimes whose strategic ambitions are not only an existential threat towards Western security but once reverberated, can easily destabilize the frameworks established within our modern-day international system.

[Ani Prakash]

Given that tensions are exacerbating between Russia and the West and diplomatic solutions needed to resolve the crisis are on the verge of collapsing, NATO has responded by further increasing their military reinforcements towards Eastern Europe and Southeastern Europe as part of their effort to strengthen stability within their eastern flank. Denmark has sent F-16s to Lithuania while the US has deployed F-15 fighters to Estonia for a joint mission at the Baltics. The Spanish have sent frigates at the Mediterranean Sea and deployed their fighters to Bulgaria. The British began their shipment of anti-tank weapons as well as deployment of troops in Ukraine while the Germans, after a day-in-a-half worth of scrutiny from its allies, decided to expedite its shipment of military helmets for the Ukrainian military to utilize in the event of an invasion. President Biden and the United States is weighing on the option of increasing military deployments at the Polish and Romanian borders with Ukraine and has placed its troops on “high-alert” over the security uncertainties unfolding in Ukraine’s eastern borders. Both the US and NATO are collectively working to avert the possibilities of an invasion from a common adversary and each member country of the alliance is pursuing a multitude of salient options necessary for safeguarding the tenets of democracy regionally.

[Ani Prakash]

The Biden administration’s decision on considering an additional deployment of US forces towards NATO’s eastern flank, in preparation for a potential Russian invasion in Ukraine, is a significant effort pursued by President Biden, the Pentagon, and the State Department over their ability to ensure regional stability both in Ukraine as well as the Western order. Ukraine is a valuable political and military partner to the United States and it is salient for the United States to execute these decisions as part of preserving their regional interests abroad. President Biden’s incentive over increasing military reinforcements in Eastern Europe is an example of the America’s willingness to preserve democracy and the democratic institutions of our nation’s historical ally.

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