The conversation came hours after PM Modi spoke with Zelenskyy and reiterated India’s readiness to contribute to efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, during which the two leaders discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The conversation came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and reiterated India’s readiness to contribute to efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The diplomatic outreach comes ahead of a fresh round of negotiations involving Russian, Ukrainian and US officials in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The two-day meeting is aimed at finding a way to end the war, which is approaching the five-year mark.
The upcoming talks follow earlier rounds of negotiations this year that failed to yield any visible progress towards ending Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
The negotiations also come after a localised truce was reached last month around the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine. The ceasefire, brokered with the assistance of US First Lady Melania Trump, reportedly facilitated the evacuation of some residents and the delivery of much-needed humanitarian supplies.
Jaishankar had also met Lavrov in Atlanta on the sidelines of a G20-related event, where the two discussed the Ukraine conflict.
What Did PM Modi Tell Zelenskyy?
During his telephone conversation with Zelenskyy, PM Modi conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Following the conversation, Zelenskyy said it was important for India to identify the steps it could take and the diplomatic engagement it could pursue with other world leaders to help bring the war to an end.
“India is ready to mediate in establishing food corridors, and we are counting on these efforts to continue,” the Ukrainian president said in a post on X.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Modi reaffirmed India’s human-centric approach to the conflict and reiterated New Delhi’s consistent position that the crisis must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
The Prime Minister also conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution, the PMO said.
During the conversation, Zelenskyy shared his perspective on recent developments surrounding the ongoing conflict. The two leaders also discussed measures to strengthen India-Ukraine bilateral cooperation across various sectors for the mutual benefit of their people.
In a post on X, Modi described the conversation as productive and said the two leaders had reviewed their wide-ranging bilateral cooperation and agreed to further strengthen India-Ukraine ties.
“I thanked President Zelenskyy for sharing his perspectives on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian aspects and various efforts to restore peace. Reiterated India’s firm commitment to contributing in every possible way towards a peaceful resolution,” Modi said.
