India not neutral bystander, on side of peace, Modi tells Prez Zelenskyy
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 23
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday conveyed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war. He said India was ready to play an “active role” to restore peace in the region.
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Carrying Message of peace
I have come carrying a message of peace and stand for upholding the UN Charter on territorial integrity. PM Modi
Historic visit by pm Modi
Today, history was made. The Indian PM made his first visit to Ukraine since our independence. Zelenskyy on X
Modi said India was not a “neutral or indifferent” bystander to the conflict, but was always on the side of peace.
He cited Lord Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi to make his point against waging a war. Modi, who was on a visit to Kyiv, told Zelenskyy, “I have come carrying a message of peace and stand for upholding the UN Charter on territorial integrity”.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while addressing a press conference, defended India’s decision on continued sourcing of coal and crude oil from Moscow. He rejected any suggestions on imposing sanctions against Russia, saying “it is not part of our diplomacy”.
Happy to come to great nation: Zelenskyy on PM Modi’s invite
A joint statement issued after the Modi-Zelenskyy meeting spoke about the “need for sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders”. The statement suggested the need for finding solutions for early restoration of peace. “Modi reiterated India’s willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return of peace,” the statement said.
While India has so far not condemned Russia, it has set about rebuilding ties with Ukraine. The Inter-Governmental Commission, to be co-chaired by Jaishankar, has been tasked by Modi-Zelenskyy with “exploring all possible ways to not just restore bilateral trade and economic relations to the pre-conflict level but expand and deepen them further”.
On the peace formula, Zelenskyy suggested that a joint communique on a peace framework, adopted at the summit on peace, could serve as a basis for further efforts.
Jaishankar said Modi mentioned what he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin in July and sought Zelenskyy’s opinion on the ground situation. Answering questions, he refuted reports that the Indian delegation was carrying a message from Moscow for Ukraine. “It was a back-and-forth discussion,” he said. Asked by a reporter that people in Ukraine were upset over Modi hugging Putin in Moscow during his visit in July, he said, “In our part of the world, a hug is a part of the culture. Today, the PM hugged Zelenskyy.”
Asked if India would impose any sanctions against Russia, Jaishankar said, “I would say generally in India we do not impose sanctions against any country. We generally look at UN sanctions. Those are the sanctions that we respect.”
Ukraine did raise the matter of India’s reliance on Russian crude oil. “We explained our stand to Ukraine,” said Jaishankar, adding that many energy producers like Iran and Venezuela stood sanctioned making the market tight.
Zelenskyy was extended an invite to visit Delhi, Jaishankar said. “We expect that at some point, as per his convenience, President Zelenskyy will visit India,” he added. At a media briefing, Zelenskyy said, “I will be happy to come to the great nation… I very much need your country on our side.”
The Indian side reiterated its gratitude for the help and support in the evacuation of students from Ukraine in the early months of 2022.
