Kyiv, Nov 9
President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussing with him the diplomatic process and steps that could bring the end of the war in the region closer, the Ukrainian President's office said on Monday evening.
"The Head of State spoke about the situation in diplomacy. Ukraine is actively preparing for each of the issues on the agenda of the meeting in Abu Dhabi. The President emphasised that Ukraine always has a constructive approach, and the same willingness to de-escalate from Russia is needed," read the statement issued by Zelensky's office following the phone call.
"The Prime Minister has repeatedly said, including to the Russian leader, that now is the time to end the war, not continue it. It is important that India finds what steps it can take and dialogue with other leaders to help bring the end of the war closer," Zelensky noted, the statement added.
One such area, the Ukrainian leader mentioned, could be food security as the leaders discussed blockage of grain exports in the Black Sea.
India, the statement mentioned, is ready to mediate in establishing food corridors, and Ukraine looks forward to continued efforts in this direction.
"Russia must understand that its economy and hundreds of millions of people in different countries suffer from blocked sea routes," President Zelensky emphasised as both leaders agreed that their teams would be in touch on these and other bilateral issues.
During the phone call, Prime Minister Modi once again conveyed India's readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at peaceful resolution of the conflict in the region.
According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Zelensky shared his perspective on recent developments related to the ongoing conflict with Russia.
"Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s human-centric approach and reiterated India’s consistent position that the conflict must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at peaceful resolution of the conflict," read a statement issued by the PMO.
"The two leaders also discussed measures to further strengthen India-Ukraine bilateral cooperation in various sectors for the mutual benefit of the two peoples," it added.
Earlier this month, while speaking to a group of Indian reporters on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Atlanta, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar had said India is in discussions with Russia, Ukraine and Europe on three aspects of the conflict, protecting civilian shipping and seafarers, restoring grain exports from the Black Sea and a "non-attack on energy", and is coordinating the effort with the United States.
“We’ve had discussions with Russia. We’ve had discussions with Europe. We’ve had discussions with Ukraine also about three aspects of the current conflict: one, not to attack civilian shipping and seafarers; the second, to find a way by which the grain exports from both Russia and Ukraine... find a way of restoring that flow because that flow has cut down very sharply in the Black Sea, and the third is with regard to energy,” he said.
He described the energy element as the hardest.
“Non-attack on energy is probably the most complicated piece because it means different things to the different players,” EAM Jaishankar said.
“Infrastructure itself to some would mean a refinery. To some it would mean grids. There would be issues relating to ships carrying fuel. So we have been trying to see if we can get them together to address these issues,” he said.
He said the grain issue was “a big concern for the global south because much of the purchasers of that grain are basically global south countries.”
EAM Jaishankar outlined India’s contacts with both sides at the highest levels.
“Prime Minister himself had, you know, discussion with (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin in Delhi, and before that in Bishkek. I had gone earlier to Moscow, and we continue even today. I discussed it with (Russian Foreign Minister) Mr. Lavrov, and then in between, I had gone to Kyiv. And we are in touch with the Ukrainian side,” he said.
India was also keeping Washington in the loop, he said.
"We have also been coordinating this with the Americans, because they have their own peace mediation initiative. So Secretary Rubio knows roughly what is going on here,” EAM Jaishankar said.
