- Saturday, April 27, 2024
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba’s visit to India took place just a week after prime minister Narendra Modi spoke to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy over telephone and pledged New Delhi’s support.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE foreign ministers of India and Ukraine held talks in New Delhi on Friday (29) as part of a bilateral agreement and amid a two-year military conflict between Russia and Ukraine on the latter’s soil. They also discussed global and regional matters.
Both Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, who reached the Indian capital on Thursday (28) for a two-day visit, hailed the talks and spoke about them on their respective X accounts. The talks were held just over a week after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a telephonic conversation in which they spoke over strengthening the two nations’ partnership.
Modi had said that he conveyed to the Ukrainian leader New Delhi’s consistent backing to all efforts for peace and bringing an early end to the conflict. He also said that India would continue to provide Ukraine humanitarian aid guided by the Asian nation’s “people-centric approach”.
Read: Ukraine foreign minister visits India, aims support for peace plan
Speaking about his meeting with Jaishankar, Kuleba said, “In New Delhi, I had sincere and comprehensive talks with @DrSJaishankar about Ukrainian-Indian bilateral relations, the situation in our regions, and global security. We paid specific attention to the Peace Formula and next steps on the path of its implementation.
The peace formula proposed by Zelenskyy in 2022 follows 10 principles aimed at ensuring a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Read: Modi speaks to Russia, Ukraine presidents within hours; invited by both
“We also co-chaired the Ukrainian-Indian intergovernmental commission review meeting and agreed to restore the level of cooperation between our countries that existed prior to the full-scale war launched by Russia, as well as identify new promising projects to take our relations to the next level.”
In New Delhi, I had sincere and comprehensive talks with @DrSJaishankar about Ukrainian-Indian bilateral relations, the situation in our regions, and global security.
We paid specific attention to the Peace Formula and next steps on the path of its implementation.
We also… pic.twitter.com/2aLQQBuqAJ
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 29, 2024
Ahead of his meeting with the Indian diplomat, the Ukrainian minister had said on Thursday, “Building on the dialogue between @ZelenskyyUa and @NarendraModi, we will pay specific attention to the Peace Formula.”
Welcoming Kuleba who visited India on his invitation, Jaishankar said on X, “An open and wide-ranging conversation with Ukraine FM @DmytroKuleba this afternoon.
“Our discussions focused on the ongoing conflict and its wider ramifications. Exchanged views on various initiatives in that context. Spoke as well on global and regional issues of interest to both of us. Reiterated our commitment to strengthen the overall relationship, including bilateral cooperation.”
An open and wide-ranging conversation with Ukraine FM @DmytroKuleba this afternoon.
Our discussions focused on the ongoing conflict and its wider ramifications. Exchanged views on various initiatives in that context.
Spoke as well on global and regional issues of interest to… pic.twitter.com/rxoeW8UKhB
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) March 29, 2024
He also posted a picture of him shaking hands with Kuleba ahead of the meeting on X, saying, “Welcome FM @DmytroKuleba of Ukraine to Hyderabad House. Look forward to our discussions today.”
Welcome FM @DmytroKuleba of Ukraine to Hyderabad House.
Look forward to our discussions today. pic.twitter.com/C67wg5RiTa
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) March 29, 2024
The Indian diplomat also expressed his delight in co-chairing the review meeting the two countries’ Inter-Governmental Commission with Kuleba. He said they took note of the significance of strengthening cooperation between the two nations in all domains and that the immediate goal was to get trade between New Delhi and Kyiv to earlier levels.
“Perspectives on trade, health, S&T and agriculture cooperation shared today were useful,” he said, adding, “We agreed to prepare for the 7th IGC meeting later this year.”
Pleased to co-chair the review meeting of our Inter-Governmental Commission with FM @DmytroKuleba of Ukraine.
Noted the importance of further strengthening cooperation in all domains. Our immediate goal is to get trade back to earlier levels.
Perspectives on trade, health,… pic.twitter.com/2nJ7RQiERN
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) March 29, 2024
The India-Ukraine Inter Governmental Commission for cooperation in trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation was set up in 1994, a few years after Ukraine became an independent nation following the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
During his weekly press briefing on Thursday, the spokesperson of India ministry of external affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, said in response to a query on Kuleba’s visit said there will be a “bilateral engagement with the external affairs minister in which they will go over a gamut of issues that lie in the domain of bilateral relations”.
“Our position is very clear on peace initiatives and how we look at the Ukraine-Russia conflict. We continue to encourage peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy and remain open to engaging all ways and means that would help achieve this objective,” the MEA spokesperson had said on a query on India’s position on the Peace conference in Switzerland.
India has avoided criticising Russia over its military invasion in Ukraine even and even bought more oil at cheaper rate from Moscow, which was facing western sanctions.
(With PTI inputs)
