UNITED NATIONS: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskky met in New York and spoke about the resolution of conflict and peace to return in Russia and Ukraine, President Zelenskky has invited India for the second peace summit.
"We have to prepare the second peace summit to end the war and I invite all nations to join us in the process - those who respect UN Charter. I have already invited India," said Zelenskky while addressing the United Nations Security Council in New York on Tuesday.
Zelenskky invited China, Brazil, African nations, Latin America, Middle East, Europe, Americas. All are equally important without exceptions, he said.
“We all know what needs to be done if we honestly look at the situation and truly want to stop Russia's war. Most importantly, act together, of course in unity, without creating new and unnecessary divisions of the world into blocks or regional groups,” Zelenskyy here on Tuesday told a Security Council meeting on the Ukraine conflict.
"We want a peace that will last and these nations know how to achieve it," he added.
It may be recalled that PM Modi while in Kyiv also emphasised on peace process and, while meeting President Zelenskky, reaffirmed support for an early resolution of the conflict.
"We are committed to implementing the outcomes of my visit to Ukraine last month to strengthen bilateral relations. We have reiterated support for early resolution of the conflict in Ukraine and restore peace and stability,'' PM Modi said.
Zelenskyy on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York before the Indian leader wrapped up his three-day visit to the US.
The meeting between Modi and Zelenskyy was their third in a little over three months. Modi met the Ukrainian leader in Kyiv last month, just weeks after he had met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July.
Modi's meeting with Zelenskyy, requested by the Ukrainian side, came at the sidelines of his other engagements, including participating in the Quad Leaders' Summit and his address to the UN's 'Summit of the Future'.
India is actively developing its relations and working to strengthen cooperation across various fields. It is also helping Ukraine in rebuilding of infrastructure.
"The main focus of our meeting was enhancing our interaction on international platforms- particularly UN and G20 as well as implementing the peace formula and preparing for the second peace summit," Zelenskky said after meeting PM Modi.
“We are committed to implementing the outcomes of my visit to Ukraine last month to strengthen bilateral relations. Reiterated India's support for early resolution of the conflict in Ukraine and restoration of peace and stability,” the prime minister said on X following Monday's meeting with Zelenskyy.
The two leaders had agreed to be in touch through visits and at other levels.
PM Modi's visit to Moscow followed by Kyiv emphasised on the return to peace through dialogue and diplomacy and also saying that peace cannot be found on the battlefield.
Responding to a question during a press briefing on discussions with the Ukrainian leader on a second peace summit, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the discussions covered a lot of issues related to finding a way forward.
Misri said a number of things came up, the peace summit that was held in Switzerland, the ideas that have been floated after that, the efforts that Ukraine is making on its own and the possibility of a second peace summit that Ukraine has been talking.
“But I think we are not right now at a stage where the second peace summit can be discussed in any detail. I think there is a lot of work that remains to be done before that, so there was not a great deal of discussion on that specific issue,” he said.
"There is an inter-governmental commission between both sides and the foreign ministers of both countries are heading it," said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs, represented India at the 'Summit on Peace in Ukraine' hosted by Switzerland at Burgenstock on June 15-16.
The Indian delegation attended the opening and closing plenary sessions but India did not associate itself with any communique/document emerging from this summit.
“India's participation in the summit and preceding NSA/Political Director-level meetings based on Ukraine's peace formula was in line with our consistent approach to facilitate a lasting and peaceful resolution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. We continue to believe that such a resolution requires a sincere and practical engagement between the two parties to the conflict,” the MEA said.
In this regard, India will continue to remain engaged with all stakeholders and both parties to contribute to all earnest efforts to bring about an early and abiding peace, the MEA added.
India is actively developing its relations and working to strengthen cooperation across various fields. It is also helping Ukraine in rebuilding of infrastructure.
PM Modi's visit to Moscow followed by Kyiv emphasised on the return to peace through dialogue and diplomacy and also saying that peace cannot be found on the battlefield.
(With inputs from PTI)
