Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to as on Russian President Vladimir Putin to maneuver from “endless war” to “end of war”, Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar mentioned in Kyiv on Thursday that stopping buy of Russian oil won’t “dissolve” the battle, and underlined the necessity for “dialogue and diplomacy”. He mentioned India was able to “assist in any method” to finish the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Demonstrating a diplomatic balancing act, Jaishankar’s bilateral go to to Ukraine comes at a time when Modi is assembly Putin twice inside weeks — on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders’ summit in Bishkek on August 31, and on the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13.
In addition to assembly his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, Jaishankar additionally referred to as on Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday. Sybiha welcomed Modi’s name to maneuver “in the direction of an finish to the conflict”, and mentioned Ukraine “stands prepared for diplomacy”. In a submit on X, Zelenskyy thanked India for its “dedication to ending this unjust conflict”.
Responding to a query at a media briefing after his assembly with Sybiha, Jaishankar defended India’s determination to purchase Russian oil. “This battle, which is in the present day in its fifth yr, won’t dissolve as a result of anyone is shopping for or not shopping for oil or alumina or minerals or metals… This battle might be solved by dialogue, by diplomacy, by negotiations. And that’s the reason it’s one thing we might encourage,” he mentioned.
He mentioned guaranteeing gasoline provides for India’s 1.4 billion individuals is a problem, including that he respects Ukraine’s place on Russian oil purchases, however expects the identical respect for India’s place.
“India has persistently maintained that this isn’t an period of conflict, and that options won’t emerge from the battlefield. Simply two days in the past in Bishkek, Prime Minister Modi declared that limitless conflict should now give strategy to the top of conflict. Each passing day of battle solely means extra deaths and extra destruction. Understandably, it’s for the events concerned to discover a method. However, if India may be of any assist in any method, we’re prepared, and this was the core of my dialogue to this point with International Minister Sybiha,” he mentioned.
Whereas Jaishankar had accompanied Modi to Ukraine in August 2024, this was his first bilateral go to to the nation.
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Jaishankar mentioned there have been some particular elements of the battle that got here up within the discussions on Thursday. “Outstanding amongst them was assaults on business delivery. Indian seafarers man ships of many flags and have been among the many unlucky casualties. The affect on delivery can also be considerably affecting many countries of the World South in quite a lot of methods, resulting in gasoline, fertiliser and meals shortages,” he mentioned.
He was referring to the deaths of Indians, together with 5 seafarers, since July this yr because of the change of fireplace between Russia and Ukraine.
In a submit on X, Jaishankar mentioned he apprised Zelenskyy of his discussions with Sybiha on “deepening our bilateral cooperation”. “Our dialog centered on approaches to finish the continuing battle,” he mentioned.
Zelenskyy, in his submit on X, mentioned: “We’re grateful to India for its dedication to ending this unjust conflict — Russia’s conflict towards Ukraine. This definitely should not be a time of conflict. Peace is required. That is India’s clear place. Right now, whereas the Minister was right here with us in Kyiv, Russia as soon as once more launched jet-powered ‘shaheds’, which have been developed not with out Iran’s assist. Due to our fight aviation, the delegation was protected, as a result of it’s Ukrainian fighter jets that shoot down most of those drones. We hope that different main world powers may also take a transparent stance that this conflict should finish and {that a} dependable peace have to be achieved.”
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“After all, we mentioned the scenario within the Black Sea, together with the present threats to civilian delivery. We concur that it’s completely unacceptable to dam meals provides to areas the place it is a extremely delicate concern and the place individuals rely upon these maritime routes. Russia’s actions aimed toward blocking our ports, our meals hall, and our provides are inflicting main disruption to world relations. We should all work collectively to ensure safety,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
“Honored to welcome my Indian colleague @DrSJaishankar to Kyiv for the first-ever devoted bilateral go to of an Indian Exterior Affairs Minister to Ukraine. This historic second takes place amid escalating Russian assaults towards our cities, port infrastructure and civil delivery. Our capital is consistently below assault and I respect my colleague’s courageous go to,” Sybiha mentioned in a submit on X.
“Throughout our negotiations, we mentioned the necessity to restore freedom of navigation within the Black Sea and world meals safety. India is a world energy and we welcome Prime Minister Modi’s name to maneuver from an limitless conflict in the direction of an finish to the conflict. Ukraine stands prepared for diplomacy,” he mentioned.
“We additionally mentioned our bilateral cooperation. From infrastructure and pharmaceutical sector to technological innovation and digitalisation, we’re prepared to understand our full potential. We agreed to work on convening our subsequent Intergovernmental Fee assembly to show nice views into nice mutually helpful initiatives,” Sybiha mentioned.
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Jaishankar invited Sybiha to India for the subsequent assembly of the Intergovernmental Fee.
On bilateral cooperation, Jaishankar mentioned: “This has a substantial historical past and it predates Ukraine’s independence. Our commerce spans a variety of sectors — from prescription drugs, meals and agriculture, and fertilisers to equipment, chemical substances and shopper items. Understandably, within the final 4 years, this commerce has seen some disruption because of the conflict scenario and logistical challenges. On the identical time, there was a visual resilience and, some new potentialities have emerged.”
“The place the long run prospects of our bilateral cooperation are involved, we’re very a lot conscious that Ukraine has deep strengths and capabilities. India too is growing at a speedy tempo. And a few of these notable areas of progress are in digital capabilities, innovation and startups. The world of AI affords new openings in well being, schooling, agriculture, even in governance,” he mentioned.
