India Facilitating Dialogue Between Russia and Ukraine to Promote Peace: EAM Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved on the battlefield, signaling India’s role in facilitating communication between the two countries. Speaking at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York, Jaishankar noted that India is actively engaging with both Russia and Ukraine, aiming to expedite the end of the war and promote serious negotiations.
“This is a kind of exploration that we have been doing. It’s not that we have a formal peace plan,” Jaishankar clarified. He added that India has been sharing insights from its conversations with one side to the other. “My sense is both sides appreciate it,” he said, highlighting India’s unique ability to engage both nations during this sensitive period.
Jaishankar’s remarks came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Modi’s engagement with Ukraine followed his trip to Kyiv in August, after which he also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden.
In addition, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met with President Putin earlier this month during the BRICS NSA meeting in St. Petersburg, further demonstrating India’s ongoing efforts to promote peace through dialogue.
