‘Negotiations cannot proceed unless both parties are on board’: Jaishankar on Russia-Ukraine conflict

Jaishankar reiterated India’s position of seeking a non-military solution to the conflict. “We’re not going to get a military solution; there has to be a diplomatic one, and negotiated one,” he said.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | Updated: September 12, 2024 10:23 PM IST

3 min read

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said India was among the few nations capable of engaging with both Russia and Ukraine to find a solution outside the battlefield, but, negotiations cannot proceed unless both parties are on board.

Speaking at the Global Centre for Security Policy, a think tank, Jaishankar addressed a question regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visits to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin and to Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He reiterated India’s position of seeking a non-military solution to the conflict. “We’re not going to get a military solution; there has to be a diplomatic one, and negotiated one,” he said, adding that the terms of negotiation must be decided by the involved parties.

In a subtle reference to the West’s unilateral attempts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war, Jaishankar said, “You know, a negotiation cannot be one party and all its supporters coming together and the other party is not in the room, then it’s not a negotiation.”

Also read | Russia, Ukraine have to negotiate, India willing to advise: Jaishankar

Jaishankar, who arrived in Geneva after a two-day visit to Germany, said that only a few countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, can engage with both sides due to their neutral positions. He also pointed out the global impact of the conflict, noting that “the Ukraine conflict actually tells how interdependent and globalised and tightly woven the world is.”

The war has had an immediate effect on fuel prices, leading to disruptions in the global economy and finances. He cited Sri Lanka as an example, explaining that the rise in fuel prices due to the conflict significantly contributed to its crisis.

Also read | C Raja Mohan writes: India’s role in peacemaking in Ukraine

On the ramifications in the Middle East, particularly Gaza, where the the Houthis is targetting shipping, he said: “It has radicalisation implications,” and also noted the energy issues affecting millions in West Asia and the Gulf.

“There’s less global appetite to go and do somebody else’s property,” Jaishankar added, warning that “somebody else’s problem can come back into your home much faster than you think.”

(With Inputs from PTI)

From the homepage