The foreign minister of India met with his Ukrainian counterpart on Friday to enhance bilateral ties and cooperation between the two nations. India views Russia as a historic ally from the Cold War era.
During their meeting, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Dmytro Kuleba discussed the ongoing conflict and its broader impact. They expressed their commitment to strengthening the relationship between their countries.
Kuleba emphasized the importance of India and Ukraine working together for mutual benefits and global development. He highlighted the need to restore the pre-invasion relationship between the two countries.
Kuleba aimed to discuss Ukraine’s peace initiative in New Delhi and urged India to play a more significant role in ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. He emphasized India’s potential to influence Russia’s actions due to its close ties with Moscow.
The visit by Kuleba follows recent discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia. India has emphasized the importance of diplomacy in resolving the conflict and has expressed its willingness to contribute to peace efforts.
Modi has shown support for ending the conflict in Ukraine and has engaged with both Zelenskyy and Putin to strengthen ties. India under Modi’s leadership has positioned itself as a mediator between Western countries and Russia.
While India continues to maintain its relationship with Russia, it has also diversified its partnerships with Western powers to reduce dependence on Moscow. India’s participation in the Quad reflects its efforts to engage with like-minded nations on security issues.
Concerns have been raised in New Delhi over the growing cooperation between Russia and China, given the ongoing border disputes and China’s military presence in the Indian Ocean region.
Despite these challenges, Russia and China have pledged mutual support on key issues such as sovereignty and security.