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In touch with India to end Ukraine war, impose costs on Russia: US

In touch with India to end Ukraine war, impose costs on Russia: US

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7

India can be among the countries that can have a role in diplomacy to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict even though New Delhi and Washington may not see eye to eye on policy issues, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

Dialogue and diplomacy

We do believe that countries like India may be in a position to help bring about dialogue and diplomacy that could one day put an end to this war. — Ned Price, State Dept Spokesman

Moscow views observations approvingly

  • Moscow viewed the observations approvingly with its state media prominently running Price’s comments
  • Turkey has been trying to become a self-appointed mediator
  • It is unpalatable for both Moscow and New Delhi due to Ankara’s NATO ties
  • India is better positioned to act as a mediator to end the war as it is not a bloc member

“We do believe that countries like India, countries that have a relationship with Russia and with Ukraine, may be in a position to help bring about dialogue and diplomacy that could one day put an end to this war,” Price said on Friday at a briefing for foreign correspondents.

Moscow also viewed the observations approvingly with its state media prominently running Price’s comments. Turkey has for long been trying to become a self-appointed mediator, but such a development is unpalatable for both Moscow and New Delhi due to Ankara’s NATO ties as well as involvement with Azerbaijan and Pakistan.

Speaking of the possible diplomatic role for India in helping end the Ukraine war, Price did not see it as a near-term possibility. “I put this in the conditional because there is one country that, of course, has demonstrated no willingness to put an end to this war, to end the brutal aggression, and that, of course, is Russia,” he said.en in the context of recent discussions, we took note of the Kremlin’s statement that it is willing to engage in dialogue but only if the new territorial realities are recognised. That is as clear a sign as any that Moscow has no genuine appetite to engage in dialogue and diplomacy that will lead to just and durable peace,” he said.

“We have been in regular, close contact with India regarding what we can do to hold Russia accountable and to impose additional costs on Russia for its war. We may not always share precisely the same policy approaches, but we both share a commitment to upholding a rules-based international order that respects territorial integrity and sovereignty,” he said while downplaying differences between the two countries.

India is better positioned to act as a mediator as it is not a bloc member. Last week in Austria, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar dismissed suggestions that India was an ally of Russia. However, India is a member of several plurilateral groupings with Russia and the US. India is part of the SCO, RIC and BRICS, which also has Russia. It is a member of the Quad with the US, Australia and Japan as well as of I2U2, with the US, Israel and the UAE.