NEW DELHI: Russia has insisted that it's on the same page as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on seeking a solution to its war with Ukraine.
During his visit to Moscow earlier this week, PM Modi said, "In the midst of bombs, guns and bullets, solutions and peace talks do not succeed. We will have to follow the peace path only through talks."
On Wednesday, Russia’s Charge d’ Affaires in New Delhi Roman Babushkin said, "We would like to have peace with Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy as PM Modi has mentioned. In fact, on June 14, President Putin said that he wanted to end the conflict with Ukraine provided Ukraine promised to be neutral, non-nuclear and recognised the territories that have been acquired by Russia."
Russia has said that the peace summit on Ukraine held in Switzerland was a 'tamasha', asking how could it be held without Russia. It also said that Ukraine targeted Russian facilities and would like the attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv to be investigated.
"The US should stop interfering in other countries' internal matters. The world’s focus was suddenly on PM Modi and his visit to Moscow. Russia and India have been long term friends and there isn’t anything unusual about it. It was the West again that drew inferences on Russia’s growing proximity with China as being a reason for PM Modi’s visit, which isn’t true. Russia, India and China have emerged as a strong bloc in Eurasia and that is not going down well with them," Babushkin said.
"What is paradoxical is that the Western nations keep taking an anti-China stance. However, their imports from China are much more than ours and they continue to increase," he said.
Asked if the families of the four Indians killed while working as helpers in the Russian Army would be given compensation and Russian citizenship, Babushkin said it "should happen anyway as per the contractual obligations". The others who are still stuck in Russia are in the process of being sent back once the formalities are over.
"The issue of recruitment of Indian helpers in the Russian army has been politicised for no reason. Russia doesn’t want Indian soldiers to fight, these men have come in illegally possibly due to the lure of money. We are on the side of the Indian government and hope that this issue is resolved at the earliest," Babushkin added.
Russia and India have a bilateral trade of over $65 billion, which is slated to increase to over $100 billion by 2030. Collaboration in defence production and enhancing trade through multi modal routes like Vladivostok to Chennai is being worked out. India and Russia are also looking at a free trade agreement.
