New Delhi: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will travel to Moscow this week to hold discussions aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine co...
New Delhi: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will travel to Moscow this week to hold discussions aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, sources have said.
This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi
visited Russia (in July) and Ukraine (in August) where he held meetings with
the Presidents of the two countries — Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.
Shortly after his trip to Ukraine and meeting with Zelensky, Modi spoke to Putin over the phone on August 27.
A Russian Embassy statement then said that Modi
informed Putin about his visit to Kyiv and stressed India’s
commitment to bring about a settlement by political and diplomatic means.
Sources said that it was during this phone call that the leaders decided that
NSA Doval would travel to Moscow for peace talks.
“President Putin shared his principled assessment
of the destructive policies of the Kyiv authorities and their Western patrons,
and went on to highlight Russia’s approaches to resolving this conflict,” the
Russian Embassy said about the phone call. The Prime Minister’s Office said the
two leaders exchanged views on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“The PM shared insights from his recent visit to
Ukraine. He underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as well as
sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to achieve an abiding
and peaceful resolution of the conflict,” a PMO release said. The Prime
Minister reiterated India’s firm commitment to support an “early, abiding and
peaceful resolution of the conflict” on his official handle on X. Ajit Doval’s
visit, however, is part of the BRICS NSA meeting this week ahead of the annual Summit
in Kazan.
The meeting will see top security officials of
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa besides new members Saudi Arabia,
UAE, Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Doval is also expected to hold bilateral talks
with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. The travel to Moscow this week is also said
to be a bid to reach a peaceful resolution between the warring neighbours
Russia and Ukraine.
Other world leaders, too, are of the view that
India can play a key role in finding a resolution to the Ukraine conflict.
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said that countries like India and China
can play a role in resolving the conflict in Ukraine. Her remarks, made at the
Ambrosetti Forum in northern Italy’s Cernobbio city on Saturday — where she
also held a meeting with Zelensky —
came less than 48 hours after Putin also highlighted India’s
efforts in solving the ongoing crisis in the region.
On Thursday, while addressing the 9th Eastern
Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin mentioned India’s role in providing a
“helping hand” in resolving the issue. “We respect our friends and partners who
I think are sincerely interested in addressing and resolving all the issues
associated with the conflict (with Ukraine). China, Brazil, India… I am in
contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these
countries, and we have the relations of trust and confidence with one another,
will be interested in providing a helping hand,” said Putin.
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