Kyiv: Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar paid his first standalone bilateral visit to Ukraine on Thursday, meeting his counterpart and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to Anadolu Agency, in a statement on US social media company X after meeting Jaishankar in the capital Kyiv, Zelenskyy said they discussed 'important issues,' expressing gratitude to New Delhi for its commitment to ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
'This certainly must not be a time of war. Peace is needed. This is India's clear position,' Zelenskyy said, stating hope that other major world powers will also take a clear stance that the ongoing conflict must end and a reliable peace must be reached.
Zelenskyy further said they discussed the situation in the Black Sea, including existing threats to civilian shipping. 'We concur that it is absolutely unacceptable to block food supplies to regions where this is a highly sensitive issue and where people depend on these maritime routes. 'Russia's actions aimed at blocking our ports, our food corridor, and our supplies are causing major disruption to global relations. We must all work together to guarantee security,' he added.
Jaishankar arrived in Kyiv earlier in the day, where he met his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, which noted that the two discussed international peace efforts, Black Sea security, and bilateral ties. Sybiha briefed Jaishankar on what he described as "an escalation of Russian attacks," including strikes involving vessels, Ukrainian ports, and port infrastructure.
The ministers discussed the peace process and the possibility of greater Indian involvement in international efforts to end the conflict. '(India's) Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi recently said in (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's presence that it is time to put an end to the endless war. We support this position. Ukraine is ready to end the war and has realistic proposals. It is time to move to diplomacy,' Sybiha said.
India, meanwhile, reiterated its call for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. "Solutions will not emerge from the battlefield," the Indian foreign minister said at a news conference following the meeting, adding that it was for the parties involved to find a way to end the war. "If India can be of any help in any manner, we are ready," he noted.
The talks also covered freedom of navigation, global food security, and broader bilateral agenda. Sybiha said Ukraine viewed India as an important international partner and welcomed its potential role in broader diplomatic efforts. 'We expect further support from India for the principles of the UN Charter, Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, freedom of navigation and international law,' he said.
The ministers also discussed expanding trade, investment, and business ties, including Indian participation in Ukraine's reconstruction. Sybiha said bilateral trade volume currently stood at $2.6 billion and that there was significant potential for further growth. The two sides are expected to discuss a date for a meeting of the intergovernmental economic commission aimed at expanding bilateral trade, he added. Potential areas for cooperation include energy, infrastructure, transport, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, digitalization, and machinery, according to Sybiha.
The ministers also agreed to promote scientific and technological cooperation, contacts between universities and research institutions, as well as educational and cultural exchanges.