External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar has said that India is one of the few countries that has been regularly talking to Moscow and Kyiv at various levels but it is in favour of direct negotiations between the parties concerned.
The Russia-Ukraine War which entered its fourth year on February 24 this year, has led to staggering human losses, with estimates placing the total number of dead and wounded at nearly one million.
“We have never done a peace plan or put out a particular view. We don’t think that is appropriate. I think, this is an issue where the parties involved have to decide for themselves,” Jaishankar said during a keenly watched conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director and Chief Executive of London based think tank, Chatham House who asked if he sees a role for India as an intermediary in the ongoing conflicts.
Maddox also observed that India has not committed itself on Ukraine.
Replying to her question, Jaishankar said, “I am not sure. I will only tell you what we have done so far. It will be hard for me to predict what could happen in the future.”
He said that India has always been very open-minded in responding to anybody who has approached it.
Jaishankar who embarked on a six-day visit to the UK and Ireland beginning Tuesday to explore ways to further boost bilateral cooperation, said, “ We have been one of the few countries who have been regularly talking to Moscow and Kyiv at various levels. My Prime Minister has been talking to President Putin and to President Zelenskyy. We have met with the Presidents, their ministers, their National Security Advisers, their Defence Ministers. At various points of time, if there was a moment or an occasion where our weighing in was useful, we have tried to do that. Mostly, it has been very specific.”
Jaishankar who is a career diplomat, said, “Every time, we have had a significant and useful conversation with either of them, we have taken the approval of President Putin to share it with the Ukrainians and of President Zelenskyy to share it with the Russians. So, we have kept that going. We also understand the stakes that Europe has in this matter. We also understand the interests which the United States has in this matter. We hear it from the Russians that they too feel that there are other parties to be engaged. So, we have done whatever was the right thing to do in the most helpful manner and we will continue to do that.’’
The External Affairs Minister further said, “We have spoken our mind to both countries, both leaders. Our consistent position has been that they need to do direct negotiations.To the extent we have proffered advice, we have largely done it in the privacy of the rooms. We have never advised them on what should be the format and what should be the terms of the negotiations. That is their business.”
The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified that, since 24 February 2022, at least 12,654 Ukrainian civilians — including 673 children — have been killed and 29,392 — including 1,865 children — have been injured.
The war has created the largest displacement crisis in Europe since the Second World War.
Over 10 million Ukrainians remain uprooted — 3.6 million displaced within Ukraine and 6.9 million seeking refuge abroad.
