India is ready to contribute to all efforts aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a phone call on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who proposed New Delhi take the lead in ensuring uninterrupted food supplies through the Black Sea.
The phone call came a day ahead of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine being hosted by the US in Abu Dhabi, and more than two months after external affairs minister S Jaishankar visited Ukraine and proposed a three-part truce aimed at halting attacks on energy facilities and other infrastructure, keeping grain and energy flowing through the Black Sea, and ending strikes on commercial shipping.
Modi said on social media that Zelensky shared his perspectives on the 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,” he said.
Describing the phone call as “productive”, Modi said he and Zelensky also reviewed bilateral cooperation and agreed to further strengthen India-Ukraine ties.
A readout from the Indian government said Modi reaffirmed India's human-centric approach and “consistent position that the conflict must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy”. Modi also conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution.
{{/usCountry}}A readout from the Indian government said Modi reaffirmed India's human-centric approach and “consistent position that the conflict must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy”. Modi also conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution.
{{/usCountry}}Zelensky said in a social media post that he briefed Modi on the latest diplomatic developments related to the war. He suggested that India can play a role in ensuring the unimpeded movement of grains from Black Sea ports by mediating for the establishment of food corridors.
“It is important that India identify what steps it can take and what dialogue it can pursue with other leaders to help bring the war to an end,” Zelensky said. “Food security could be one such area. We discussed Russia's blocking of grain exports via the Black Sea. India is ready to mediate in establishing food corridors, and we are counting on these efforts to continue.”
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He said Russia “must understand that the global economy and hundreds of millions of people around the world are suffering because of blocked sea routes”.
Zelensky also noted that Modi has said “more than once, including directly to the Russian leader, that now is the time to end the war, not to continue it”.
“We are actively preparing on every item on the agenda for the meeting in Abu Dhabi. Ukraine has always taken a constructive approach, and Russia must show the same readiness to de-escalate,” Zelensky said, referring to the planned meeting in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are resuming after a lull of nine months, and the latest initiative is expected to focus on security guarantees aimed at preventing the war from restarting if a truce is reached. The talks had stalled over Russia’s demands that Ukraine hand over 2,000 square miles of territory.
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Jaishankar had conveyed India’s ceasefire proposal when he visited Kyiv on September 3 and met Zelensky and foreign minister Andrii Sybiha. Both Russia and Ukraine have welcomed the proposal.
India's plan is seen as more comprehensive as it goes beyond separate ceasefire proposals from Egypt, Turkey and the US by seeking to cover both infrastructure and commercial shipping while keeping vital commodity flows open. Egypt and Turkey have focused on ensuring the unimpeded flow of grains via the Black Sea by suspending attacks on commercial shipping, while the US proposal centred on an “energy ceasefire”.
Jaishankar visited Kyiv three days after Modi met President Vladimir Putin on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan on August 31 and urged the Russian leader to move from “endless war to the end of war”.