NEW DELHI, 24 February 2022, (TON): Amid the latest flare-up in the Ukraine crisis, Russia said “while the sanctions imposed by the West will lead to fear and mistrust affecting, among other things, the international banking system, Moscow will look forward to go ahead with the implementation of its "big plans" in defence with India as the only country, which is honest in sharing the technology with it.”

India has so far not condemned Russia's actions and foreign minister S Jaishankar, while participating in a panel discussion in Paris, said “a lot of what's happening on the Ukraine issue is derived from Nato expansion, along with post Soviet politics and Russia-West dynamics.”

At the EU Indo-Pacific ministerial hosted by France, Jaishankar sought to focus on the challenge posed by China to the "global commons" even as others like Japanese foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi slammed Russia for what the West sees as the country's military adventurism against Ukraine.

While claiming that Moscow's actions in recognising Ukraine's breakaway regions are in line with international law, Russian charge d'affaires Roman Babushkin said India is playing a vital role of a global power in the Security Council and its activities fully reflect the "merit" of India-Russia strategic partnership.