External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said India is ready to assist efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, including through mediation if required, as he held talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv.
“If India can be of any help, in any manner, we are there,” Jaishankar said alongside Sybiha, according to Reuters.
Jaishankar’s comments came during his first visit to Ukraine since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s August 2024 trip to Kyiv. The visit is part of a three-day diplomatic tour of Ukraine and Poland from September 3 to 5, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and discussing regional developments and issues of mutual interest.
The two foreign ministers also discussed attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea, an issue that has gained urgency amid intensifying strikes around the region’s ports and maritime routes.
India has repeatedly raised concerns over the safety of commercial vessels and Indian seafarers operating in the Black Sea. In July, Jaishankar said attacks on commercial shipping and Indian seafarers by “any party” were “absolutely unacceptable” and called for their safety to be protected.
The latest discussions follow a phone call between Jaishankar and Sybiha on August 26, during which the Ukrainian minister briefed his Indian counterpart on the deteriorating security situation in the Black Sea. Sybiha said they discussed ways to restore freedom of navigation and protect maritime routes, while he also raised concerns over attacks on Ukrainian ports and the impact on food exports.
Jaishankar’s Kyiv visit comes amid renewed diplomatic engagement between India and Russia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, while Jaishankar had held talks in Moscow last month.
India has continued to maintain relations with both Moscow and Kyiv while advocating dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict.
Following his Ukraine visit, Jaishankar is scheduled to travel to Poland, where he will hold talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.
Comments (0)