NEW DELHI: Less than a week after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar returned from Moscow, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had a telephonic conversation with him on Wednesday. “My first call in 2024 has been with Jaishankar to discuss Ukrainian-Indian relations. I informed Jaishankar of Russia’s recent escalation of terror and mass air attacks, which caused civilian suffering and destruction,” Kuleba said.
The Ukrainian FM added that they spoke about cooperation on the peace formula. “I informed Jaishankar about Ukraine’s vision for the Global Peace Summit of Leaders. We agreed to hold the first meeting of the India-Ukraine Inter-Governmental Commission in the near future. Our bilateral ties will help us move forward,” Kuleba added.
Jaishankar said that he had a useful conversation with Kuleba. “We discussed advancing our bilateral cooperation in the year ahead and exchanged views on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.” It has been 22 months since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began, leaving thousands dead and causing collateral damage on both sides.
India has been seen as a country that has been trying to mediate peace, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that ‘this is not an era for war’ has resonated well with those who want the conflict to end. India has often suggested the resolution of conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
“We know the position of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and have talked about this more than once. I am referring to his position, his attitude towards complicated processes, including hot spots, and the situation in Ukraine. I know he is striving to resolve this conflict through peaceful means,” President Putin had said last week, after meeting Jaishankar.
Meanwhile, PM Modi had always reiterated that all countries should respect international law and the sovereignty of countries, disputes should be resolved with diplomacy and dialogue, not war. Ahead of his US visit in June, 2023, Narendra Modi in an interview with the Wall Street Journal said that when it comes to the Ukraine conflict, “Some people say that we are neutral. But we are not neutral. We are on the side of peace.”
‘Dialogue and diplomacy can resolve conflict’
India has been seen as a country that has been trying to mediate peace, and PM Modi’s statement that ‘this is not an era for war’ has resonated well with those who want the conflict to end. India has often suggested the resolution of conflict through dialogue and diplomacy and reiterated that countries should respect international law.