Describing India as a global power, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Thursday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to move from an “endless war” towards an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Ukraine stands ready for diplomacy,” Sybiha posted on X after meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who arrived in Kyiv for bilateral consultations with his Ukrainian counterpart amid escalating hostilities between Moscow and Kyiv. “India is a global power and we welcome Prime Minister Modi’s call to move from an endless war towards an end to the war,” Sybiha said.
India Pushes Dialogue Over Conflict
India has consistently called for an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, while maintaining engagement with both sides.
At a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit earlier this week, Modi again called for ending the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue.
“We must move from endless war towards the end of war, which is very crucial for the well-being of humanity,” Modi said in his opening remarks at the meeting, PTI reports.
In August 2024, Modi visited Kyiv and conveyed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the war.
Sybiha’s public endorsement of Modi’s call underlines the importance Kyiv attaches to India’s position as efforts continue to find a diplomatic way out of the conflict.
Jaishankar’s Visit Comes At Critical Time
Jaishankar’s visit comes amid concerns in New Delhi over the killing of an Indian in Kyiv this week following a Russian strike.
Welcoming Jaishankar, Sybiha described the trip as “the first-ever dedicated bilateral visit of an Indian External Affairs Minister to Ukraine”.
“This historic moment takes place amid escalating Russian attacks against our cities, port infrastructure, and civil shipping. Our capital is constantly under attack, and I appreciate my colleague’s brave visit,” Sybiha said.
The timing gives Jaishankar’s visit added significance, with the bilateral discussions taking place against the backdrop of continuing attacks and concerns over their impact beyond Ukraine.
Black Sea Security In Focus
Sybiha said the two ministers discussed the need to restore freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and ensure global food security.
India has been concerned about a series of attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea in recent weeks. The discussions on navigation and food security therefore bring the wider consequences of the conflict into focus, particularly its impact on shipping and global supplies.
The two sides also discussed expanding bilateral cooperation.
“From infrastructure and the pharmaceutical sector to technological innovation and digitalisation, we are ready to realise our full potential,” Sybiha said.
“We agreed to work on convening our next intergovernmental commission meeting to turn great perspectives into great mutually beneficial projects,” he added.
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Bilateral Ties On The Table
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had earlier said Jaishankar’s visit would focus on enhancing bilateral relations and provide an opportunity for the two sides to exchange views on regional developments and issues of mutual interest.
The talks indicate that India and Ukraine are looking beyond the immediate pressures of the war to areas of longer-term cooperation, even as diplomacy and the continuing Russia-Ukraine conflict remain central to their engagement.
