External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Monday to discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The engagement, confirmed by the External Affairs Minister on social media, focused on the conflict and current diplomatic initiatives between the two nations. This high-level communication took place only hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a separate discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Prime Minister’s Office reported that during his call with President Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s "human-centric" approach to the crisis. He reiterated New Delhi’s long-standing position that the conflict must be resolved exclusively through the channels of dialogue and diplomacy. Furthermore, the Prime Minister conveyed India's preparedness to contribute to any credible efforts directed toward achieving a peaceful resolution to the war.
President Zelenskyy noted that he briefed Prime Minister Modi on recent diplomatic developments and Ukraine’s preparations for an upcoming, critical round of negotiations. These talks, involving officials from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, are scheduled to commence on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The two-day session aims to identify a path toward concluding the conflict, which is currently nearing its five-year anniversary.
Reflecting on the interaction, the Ukrainian President stated that he discussed with the Indian Prime Minister potential steps India could take to engage with other world leaders to help end the war. Zelenskyy noted that India has expressed readiness to mediate in the establishment of food corridors. He further recalled that Prime Minister Modi has previously communicated to Russian leadership that the current moment requires an end to the hostilities rather than a prolongation of the violence.
This latest round of diplomatic maneuvering follows unsuccessful attempts earlier this year to find a tangible path toward peace in what remains the deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War. Previous negotiations have failed to yield significant progress. However, there has been a recent, localised development in the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky, where a truce was brokered last month with the assistance of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. This ceasefire reportedly helped facilitate the evacuation of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region.
Beyond the immediate focus on the war, the conversation between Prime Minister Modi and President Zelenskyy also touched upon strengthening bilateral cooperation. The two leaders reviewed their existing partnership across multiple sectors, agreeing that increasing ties between India and Ukraine remains a priority for the mutual benefit of their populations.
For India, the outreach is part of a consistent diplomatic strategy. Dr. Jaishankar had previously met with Minister Lavrov in Atlanta on the sidelines of a G20-related event, where the Ukraine conflict was also a primary subject of discussion. As the world watches the upcoming negotiations in the United Arab Emirates, India continues to position itself as a proponent of a negotiated settlement, emphasizing the need for both sides to move toward de-escalation and a return to regional stability.
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