Ahead of peace talks, Zelenskyy seeks PM Modi’s help on ceasefire | India News
NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Abu Dhabi peace talks, PM Narendra Modi and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke Monday, with the latter briefing PM about the latest developments related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Modi conveying India’s “firm commitment” to contributing in every possible way towards a peaceful resolution of the war.The conversation took place a day before the trilateral peace dialogue involving Russia, Ukraine and the US in Abu Dhabi, and amid renewed Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ahead of the talks, where India’s recent peace proposals are likely to be discussed too, India remained engaged with both sides on diplomatic initiatives as foreign minister S Jaishankar too spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Zelensky recalled Modi’s latest peace message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that it was time now to end the “endless war” and urged India to take more steps towards a ceasefire that can ensure food and energy security.Committed to support efforts to restore peace: PM ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi said on X that he and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a productive conversation — their first since they met on the margins of the G7 summit in France in June.Modi’s message to Zelenskyy expressing India’s readiness to facilitate peace is not new, but its timing is significant as this was the first time they spoke after Jaishankar revealed in early Oct that India was actively mediating for the establishment of safe corridors in the Black Sea for grain and energy exports. “We reviewed our wide-ranging bilateral cooperation and agreed to further strengthen India-Ukraine ties. I thanked Zelensky for sharing his perspectives on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian aspects and various efforts to restore peace,” said Modi.Ukraine believes Russia has not responded positively to India’s Black Sea shipping proposal and the call to end targeting of its energy sector. “The PM has said more than once, including directly to the Russian leader, that now is the time to end the war, not to continue it,” said Zelenskyy on X after his talks with Modi, urging India to identify steps it can take and also talks it can pursue with other leaders to bring the conflict to an end.
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“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,” said the Ukrainian president.Zelenskyy said Ukraine had always taken a constructive approach, and Russia must also show the same readiness to de-escalate. “Russia must understand that the global economy and hundreds of millions of people around the world are suffering because of blocked sea routes. We agreed that our teams will stay in touch on these and other bilateral issues,” he added.
