Jaishankar to fly to Moscow for quick visit on Nov 8 amid Ukraine-Russia war

External affairs minister S Jaishankar’s planned visit to Russia comes at a time there is speculation about the annual summit. There has been no word from both sides about the summit, which was to be hosted by Russia in 2022

Published on: Oct 27, 2022, 20:16:43 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar

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NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar is expected to make a brief visit to Russia on November 8 for a meeting with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov amid growing global concerns about an escalation in the conflict in Ukraine.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar last met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York on margins of UN General Assembly (ANI)

Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing in Moscow on Thursday that Lavrov will hold talks with Jaishankar next month and discuss the “current state of bilateral relations and the international agenda”. Zakharova didn’t give further details.

There was no official word from the Indian side regarding the visit, though people familiar with the matter said Jaishankar’s trip is expected to be brief and include meetings with Lavrov and other key Russian officials.

The development comes at a time when speculation has grown about the two countries not holding their annual summit this year. There has been no word from both sides about the summit, which was to be hosted by Russia in 2022.

The people cited above noted that Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Uzbekistan in mid-September, and are also expected to meet again on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November, provided the Russian leader decides to attend the meeting of the world’s 20 largest economies.

Putin made a rare visit abroad following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic when he travelled to India in December last year for the annual summit. Lavrov travelled to India in April amid a flurry of visits by foreign leaders in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

India has refrained from publicly criticising the Russian invasion and abstained on most votes and resolutions related to the Ukraine conflict at UN bodies such as the Security Council. It has called for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states even as it took up Russia’s offer of discounted commodities, especially crude oil.

When Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu made a phone call to his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh to discuss Moscow’s concerns about Kyiv using a “dirty bomb”, Singh made it clear no side should resort to the nuclear option and that a solution must be found through dialogue and diplomacy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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