Highlights
- For the first time, India expressed willingness to mediate in Russia-Ukraine war, Kiev confirmed.
- Ukraine ready for unconditional ceasefire along with energy and ceasefire in the Black Sea.
- Putin said- Modi raises the issue of ending Ukraine war in every meeting.
Kyiv/Moscow: For the first time, India has expressed its willingness to play the role of an active mediator in efforts to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiha said that currently there are four important international proposals regarding the peace process and India’s proposal is the most comprehensive among them. He said that for the first time India has expressed its desire to play an active role in this process. Ukraine has also expressed its readiness for an unconditional ceasefire along with energy and agriculture related ceasefires in the Black Sea.
India’s proposal said to be the most comprehensive
According to the RBC-Ukraine report, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha said in a press briefing that currently 4 proposals are under consideration regarding the peace process. Among these, India’s proposal is the most comprehensive. He said,
‘We have four proposals before us. The most comprehensive is India’s proposal. For the first time, India has expressed its desire to play a role in this process.
According to Sibiha, this stance of India is an indication of a new diplomatic initiative to resolve the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He said Ukraine has already presented its vision for the peace process to its partners and is ready to work on various ceasefire proposals.
Türkiye, Egypt and America were also named
Sibiha said that apart from India, a proposal has also come from Turkey and Egypt. Both countries have suggested a ceasefire for grain and agricultural operations in the Black Sea. Apart from this, a proposal has come from America. It talks about ceasefire in the energy sector. The issue of energy ceasefire also came up in the talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump.
Putin also praised PM Modi’s initiative
Positive signals have already emerged from Russia regarding India’s role. Russian President Vladimir Putin had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ‘very good ideas’ about a mutual solution to the Ukraine conflict and he raises the issue of ending the war in every meeting. Putin said this at the annual Valdai International Discussion Club meeting on Thursday. According to state news agency TASS, Putin said that Modi is among those world leaders who, despite having good and friendly relations with Russia, constantly raise questions related to ending the Ukraine conflict.
‘Modi raises the issue of ending the war in every meeting’
Putin said that PM Modi raises these issues in every meeting with him and takes keen interest in them. According to the Russian President, Modi has ‘very good ideas’ that can help find a solution acceptable to both sides. After this statement of Putin, for the first time it has come to light that Ukraine has told India that it is ready for the role of active mediator. This shows an important link between the statements coming from Russia and Ukraine regarding India’s diplomatic role.
Putin also praised India’s diversity
At the Valdai Forum, Putin also praised India’s cultural diversity and unity. He said that India is a surprising country because of its size and diversity. Putin said that Prime Minister Modi had told him that out of India’s approximately 1.5 billion population, about 60 crore people speak Hindi, while a large number of people speak their respective local languages. Despite this, everyone lives together. Describing it as India’s specialty, Putin said that Indian culture shows how diversity and unity can co-exist.
Modi-Putin had talks before BRICS
There was a conversation between Prime Minister Modi and Putin before the BRICS summit to be held in New Delhi last month. During this, Putin had informed Modi about the current situation of Ukraine war and ongoing peace related initiatives. The war between Russia and Ukraine started in February 2022. Since then, the conflict between the two countries has continued and diplomatic efforts have been made by many countries at different times to end it. India has also been continuously emphasizing the need for a solution through dialogue and diplomacy.
Russia welcomed India’s peace efforts
Just a few days before the talks between PM Modi and Putin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had said that Russia would welcome any peace initiative by India to end the Ukraine conflict. According to Peskov, Moscow’s strategy is also close to India’s stance of finding solutions through dialogue and diplomacy. In such a situation, the statement of the Foreign Minister of Ukraine regarding India’s mediation is being considered important in the context of the ongoing diplomatic efforts between the two countries. (With inputs from AP and Ukrainian media)
