India and Ukraine engaged in “open and wide-ranging” discussions during a bilateral meeting between their foreign ministers. The talks, held at Hyderabad House, centered on the “ongoing conflict and its wider ramifications.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, visited India for a two-day visit, aiming to find a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, now spanning over two years.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed Kuleba, highlighting the importance of dialogue and cooperation. Following the meeting, Jaishankar highlighted their exchange of views on conflict-related initiatives and global and regional issues.
After the meeting, Jaishankar in a post on X said, “An open and wide-ranging conversation with Ukraine FM @DmytroKuleba this afternoon”.
“Our discussions focused on the ongoing conflict and its wider ramifications. Exchanged views on various initiatives in that context. Spoke as well on global and regional issues of interest to both of us. Reiterated our commitment to strengthen the overall relationship, including bilateral cooperation,” he said.
Both ministers reiterated their commitment to enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation. The talks underscored the significance of diplomatic engagement in addressing complex geopolitical challenges.
On Thursday, Kuleba had posted on X, “I began my visit to New Delhi upon @DrSJaishankar’s invitation. Ukrainian-Indian cooperation is important and we will be reinvigorating ties. Building on the dialogue between @ZelenskyyUa and @NarendraModi, we will pay specific attention to the Peace Formula.”
During the weekly briefing, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Randhir Jaiswal in response to a question related to the Ukrainian minister’s visit said that the forthcoming discussions would encompass a spectrum of bilateral issues.
“There will be a bilateral engagement with the external affairs minister in which they will go over a gamut of issues that lie in the domain of bilateral relations,” Jaiswal remarked.
Additionally, he noted plans to evaluate the outcomes of the prior Inter-governmental Commission meeting. Regional and global matters of mutual interest are also on the agenda, with numerous engagements scheduled for the Ukrainian foreign minister’s visit.
The official spokesperson reiterated India’s stance on peace initiatives, stressing a commitment to dialogue and diplomacy in resolving the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Regarding India’s position on the peace conference in Switzerland, Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s support for peaceful resolutions and its readiness to explore all avenues conducive to achieving this goal. The peace framework, proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2022, underscores ten principles aimed at establishing a just and enduring peace in Ukraine.