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Modi said he was pained to witness the death of children in the conflict, adding that the first casualties of war are innocent children, which is very painful. Picture/X
It was a major outreach effort by the prime minister to broker a peace deal between the two warring countries, which he visited over six weeks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he himself is willing to contribute to peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine as a friend if needed. Modi said this in front of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev on Friday.
It was Modi's major outreach to broker a peace deal between the two warring countries, which he visited in six weeks. “I want to assure you that India is ready to play an active role in all peace efforts. If I personally can contribute to this, I am absolutely willing to do so. As a friend, I assure you of this,” Modi told Zelen Ski said. The prime minister also said territorial integrity was crucial and he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow that solutions could not be found on the battlefield. “Dialogue and diplomacy are needed and both sides have to move forward,” Modi said.
“The land of Buddha and Gandhi in India”
The Prime Minister said he came with a message of peace and that India was the land of Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, who stood for peace. “Our policy is to be on the side of peace… We want to stay away from war,” Modi said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said that Modi told Zelensky: “If we can do anything in any way, (you know) in front or behind or support someone, that is the target in which we are interested, not… Not the process – we are willing to do whatever we can because we think the continuation of this conflict is terrible for Ukraine itself and for the world.
Speech and hug from the Prime Minister
Modi said he was pained to witness the death of children in the conflict, adding that the first casualties of war are innocent children, which is very painful. “Such incidents are unacceptable in any civilized world that respects human values,” Modi said. He hugged Zelensky and put his arm on the Ukrainian president's shoulders, sending an important message. Jaishankar later said the gesture was part of Indian culture when asked about Zelensky's earlier criticism of Modi for his embrace of Vladimir Putin in July, and that Modi had embraced many other world leaders in the past. leader.
Jaishankar said Ukraine hoped India would continue to participate in the Peace Summit, adding that the joint statement issued by both sides mentioned the United Nations Charter and “respect for territorial integrity”.
The foreign minister said the two leaders held detailed discussions on the current conflict, which Zelensky made on the ground. “The Prime Minister reiterated India's willingness to promote early restoration of peace. Both sides need to engage with each other to find a solution,” the external affairs minister said at the meeting, referring to the Prime Minister's back-and-forth stance on the war.
The joint statement also recorded “India's readiness to contribute in all possible ways to promote the early restoration of peace”.
