Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was constantly in touch with India, China and Brazil over the Ukraine war, adding these countries were sincerely making efforts to resolve the conflict. An agency report from Vladivostok quoted him as saying these countries could act as mediators in potential peace talks over Ukraine.
“If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that. We respect our friends and partners, who, I believe, sincerely seek to resolve all issues surrounding this conflict, primarily China, Brazil and India. I constantly keep in touch with our colleagues on this issue,” Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok.
PM Narendra Modi had travelled to Moscow in July, where he told the Russian president that the conflict could not be resolved on the battlefield, and followed it up with a visit to Kyiv last month during which he reiterated India’s willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return of peace. On his return, Modi spoke to Putin and conveyed to him India’s readiness to actively support any political or diplomatic settlement.
However, India has continued to maintain that it won’t initiate any peace process on its own and will mediate only if asked to. India has also insisted that enduring peace is possible only if both sides are involved in any initiative.
Separately, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Izvestia daily that India could help in establishing a dialogue on Ukraine. Underlining the “highly constructive, even friendly relations” between Modi and Putin, he said the Indian PM could “lead the line on getting first hand information from the participants in this conflict” as he “freely communicates with Putin, with Zelensky, and with the Americans”.
“This gives a great opportunity for India to throw its weight in world affairs, to use its influence that would drive the Americans and Ukrainians towards using a greater political will and entering the peaceful settlement track,” Peskov said.
For India to play any role though, it’s important that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also agrees. He had suggested during Modi’s visit that India could consider hosting the next peace summit but then effectively ruled India out as he asserted that only a country that endorsed the joint communique at the first summit could play host. India had not taken part in the first summit since Russia was not invited.
