New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar Monday held a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with discussions focused on the Ukraine conflict and ongoing diplomatic initiatives.
“Spoke this evening with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia. Our conversation focused on the Ukraine conflict and ongoing diplomatic initiatives,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X.
The conversation came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which he once again conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at peaceful resolution of the conflict in the region.
“The Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s human-centric approach and reiterated India’s consistent position that the conflict must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at peaceful resolution of the conflict,” read a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
According to a statement issued by Zelensky’s office, India is ready to mediate in establishing food corridors, and Ukraine looks forward to continued efforts in this direction.
“The Prime Minister has repeatedly said, including to the Russian leader, that now is the time to end the war, not continue it. It is important that India finds what steps it can take and dialogue with other leaders to help bring the end of the war closer,” Zelensky noted, the statement added.
Earlier this month, while speaking to a group of Indian reporters on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Atlanta, EAM Jaishankar had said India is in discussions with Russia, Ukraine and Europe on three aspects of the conflict, protecting civilian shipping and seafarers, restoring grain exports from the Black Sea and a “non-attack on energy”, and is coordinating the effort with the United States.
“The Prime Minister himself had, you know, a discussion with (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin in Delhi, and before that in Bishkek. I had gone earlier to Moscow, and we continue even today. I discussed it with (Russian Foreign Minister) Mr Lavrov, and then in between, I had gone to Kyiv. And we are in touch with the Ukrainian side,” he had said.
India was also keeping Washington in the loop, he said.
“We have also been coordinating this with the Americans, because they have their own peace mediation initiative. So Secretary Rubio knows roughly what is going on here,” EAM Jaishankar had said.
