India Offers 'Any Help' to End Russia-Ukraine War During Jaishankar's Kyiv Visit
India has offered to help end the Russia-Ukraine war. EAM Jaishankar made the remarks during talks in Kyiv with Ukrainian leaders.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has stated that India is prepared to extend "any help in any manner" to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its fifth year. He made the remarks in Kyiv on Thursday following wide-ranging talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha.
During a joint press statement, Jaishankar reiterated India's consistent position that "this is not an era of war" and that solutions will not emerge from the battlefield. He referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent statement in Bishkek, made alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, that endless war must give way to an end to the war.
"Every passing day of conflict only means more deaths and more destruction," Jaishankar said. He added that while it is for the parties involved to find a way, India is ready to help if it can.
Jaishankar later called on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where discussions centered on approaches to end the conflict. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for India's commitment to ending the "unjust war" and stressed the need for a reliable peace. He also raised concerns about threats to civilian shipping in the Black Sea and the blocking of food supplies.
Jaishankar noted that his visit had a bilateral purpose but took place in the larger context of the war. He expressed condolences for the death of an Indian national in a recent attack in Kyiv and voiced concern over attacks on merchant ships, which have impacted Indian seafarers and contributed to food, fuel, and fertilizer shortages in the Global South.
On the bilateral front, the ministers discussed trade, which currently stands at USD 2.6 billion, and areas for future cooperation including digital capabilities and innovation. Sybiha welcomed Jaishankar's visit as historic and stressed Ukraine's readiness for diplomacy. Jaishankar concluded his visit by paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi in Kyiv.