Ukraine President Zelenskyy thanks Indian PM for peace efforts

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, affirmed that everyone agrees with the need to reach a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the restoration of peace and stability, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday (local time).

During the special briefing by the Foreign Secretary on the PM's visit to the US, Misri said that Zelenskyy appreciated India's attention to these issues as well as the PM's recent visit to Ukraine to make for "peace and a pathway to finding a way out of this conflict."

"This is the third meeting between the two leaders in the space of probably three months...Their discussions on all matters, the bilateral issues as well as issues surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict. President Zelenskyy was very appreciative of India's attention to these issues and said that the Prime Minister's visit had been highly appreciated and he thanked the Prime Minister for the efforts that he was making for peace and a pathway to finding a way out of this conflict," Misri said.

"Both sides appreciated that there was positive momentum on a lot of issues in the bilateral relationship and they agreed to remain in close touch either directly or through exchanges of visits at various other levels," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York, where both leaders showed their commitment to implementing the outcomes of PM Modi's visit to Ukraine last month. This was the third time both leaders have met in the last three months.

The Foreign Secretary, during the briefing, also informed that the bilateral meeting between PM Modi and President Zelenskyy was requested from the Ukrainian side.

Being asked about whether the issue of India purchasing Russian oil was discussed, Misri said the issue wasn't discussed.

PM Modi, affirmed that he has always talked about moving forward on the path of peace by proposing peace. The Prime Minister said that he has talked with leaders of different countries, and all are of the opinion that somehow a ceasefire has to be reached and efforts are ongoing in this regard.

Misri said that since his visit to Ukraine, the Prime Minister has been in touch with Russian President Putin and US President Biden. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also visited Russia recently.

"In a way, in the meeting with President Zelenskyy, the Prime Minister also got the opportunity to say that he has always talked about moving forward on the path of peace by proposing peace, so it is clear that if there is no peace, then in a way sustainable development cannot happen either. Will the war end, only time will tell, but everyone's efforts are focused on finding an end to the war in some way," Misri said.

"In his conversation with President Zelenskyy, the Prime Minister also told him that he has talked to the leaders of different countries and discussions keep happening on this subject and everyone's opinion is that somehow we will have to find a way to ceasefire in the war and our efforts are also continuing in this regard," he added.

While stressing on attaining peace in the conflict, Vikram Misri also quoted Mahatma Gandhi and said, "There is no path to peace; peace is the path."

Misri said during PM Modi and Zelenskyy's meeting, both sides appreciated the positive momentum on a lot of issues pertaining to both countries' bilateral relationship and also agreed to remain in close touch.

"Both sides appreciated that there was positive momentum on a lot of issues in the bilateral relationship and they agreed to remain in close touch either directly or through exchanges of visits at various other levels," he said.

PM Modi visited Russia in July and Ukraine in August this year.

Notably, India has emphasised the need for sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that will have broad acceptability and contribute towards early restoration of peace in the Ukraine conflict that started in February 2022.

India has also expressed its willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return of peace.

(ANI)