India has expressed its willingness to play a constructive role in facilitating peace between Russia and Ukraine, though it emphasized that the decision on when and how to commence peace talks lies with the two warring nations.
At a regular media briefing on Friday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed recent remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who criticized India’s continued oil purchases from Russia and its decision not to sign the joint communique issued after the first peace summit on Ukraine.
Speculation has been rife in diplomatic circles about a potential role for India in mediating the conflict, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to Moscow in July and Kyiv last week. Sources familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that New Delhi might prefer to serve as a conduit for messages between the two sides rather than engage in direct mediation. Jaiswal noted that it is premature to discuss “specific modalities and pathways” for resolving the conflict and achieving peace.
