India continues to engage with Russia and Ukraine to help end war: EAM Jaishankar in Poland

Warsaw: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday said that India has been maintaining continuous engagement with both Ukraine and Russia, while exploring ideas and suggestions that could help de-escalate the ongoing conflict between the two countries and pave the way for its cessation.

Addressing a joint press conference with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski in Warsaw, EAM Jaishankar also responded to questions on India’s role in diffusing tensions between Moscow and Kyiv.

“You will appreciate that beyond a point, I can’t go into specifics. What I can tell you is that we’ve been in continuous touch with the Ukrainian side, also with the Russian side. I myself was in Moscow a few days ago. Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and President (Vladimir) Putin met in Bishkek three days ago and then I went to Kyiv. So what we had were discussions, fairly detailed discussions with the Russian side. Yesterday, with the Ukrainian side. And, what we are trying to do is to see if, you know, there are ideas and suggestions that can be developed in some way in which they would contribute to the mitigation, ideally the cessation of the conflict,” EAM Jaishankar said.

Reiterating that the Ukraine conflict can be resolved by dialogue and diplomacy and not through decisions of nations to buy or not buy oil, minerals, or alumina, EAM said that India has a responsibility to meet energy needs for 1.4 billion people given the current situation in the world.

“So let me first of all be accurate about what I said in Kyiv. What I said in Kyiv was that we have a responsibility to meet the energy security needs of 1.4 billion people. And to do that in an energy situation, global energy situation, that is very difficult and challenging. Now most of you know what the global energy situation is, we discussed the Gulf situation as well,” EAM said when asked about India’s purchase of Russian oil.

“Regarding the impacts of that, my point was this conflict, which is now in its fifth year, this war is not going to end, and these were my words, not because somebody chose to or not buy oil or alumina or fertilisers or metals and minerals. It will end when there is diplomacy, when there is dialogue, when there is negotiation. So I think let’s diagnose the problem right. The issue is a conflict; it’s a war, and the solution to that is not in trade. The solution to that is in negotiations,” he added.

Responding to the same question, Sikorski said, “Our preferences are well known, but I think the minister has explained his reasons eloquently.”

Asked whether India and Poland are doing enough to ensure Indian workers are recruited through legal channels and protected from exploitation, EAM Jaishankar said New Delhi has consistently supported the legal and regulated movement of Indian workers abroad while opposing illegal migration or mobility.

“You know there are a lot of Indians who work abroad because the nature of a global economy is a global workforce. Where India is concerned, without exception, in every destination we actually strongly, firmly, and unambiguously support legalized mobility of people. In fact, with a lot of countries, including in Europe, we have concluded bilateral agreements precisely for that purpose. So we do not support illegal migration or mobility. We do not support irregular migration or mobility. So we’re very clear in terms of our responsibility toward our own peoples,” he noted.

Adding to this, Sikorski said the two leaders also discussed the safety and security of Indian and Polish mariners, who serve aboard ships that can become stranded or come under attack in the Persian Gulf, with their nationals also facing the risk of being kidnapped.

“We actually discussed an issue of common concern, namely that both Indians and Poles serve as mariners on board ships, which get stuck on the wrong side of the Persian Gulf or get hit. And our people are often targeted and are sometimes kidnapped in some places. So, safety and security on the high seas is a common concern to both of our countries,” the Polish Foreign Minister stated.

IANS