Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with the top leaders of Russia and Ukraine “marked the beginning of a process of engagement” between the two warring countries that had far-reaching consequences, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.
In a discussion session at The Conclave 2024 organized by the Pratidin Times news channel, Jaishankar said that Prime Minister Modi is one of the few world leaders who “has the ability” to talk to both leaders, who “trust him”.
“What are we trying to do? You don’t have to mediate… sometimes you have to talk. Actually, at the same time we are talking to two conflicting countries,” he said when asked about India’s role in “mediating” the conflict in Ukraine.
Jaishankar said Prime Minister Modi had at least three meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He said National Security Adviser Ajit Doval also met Putin in September to brief him on Modi’s talks with Zelenskyy.
“Obviously that speech is focused on what the conflict is about. It was necessary for NSA Doval to go to Russia so that the Russians know that the Prime Minister spoke to Zelenskyy,” said Jaishankar.
He said the Russia-Ukraine conflict has entered its third year and has had huge human costs and huge economic consequences around the world.
“You can look at this conflict and say that none of us can do anything and say that it will end when it is over. Or you can say that I am one of the few countries or for us I am one of the few prime ministers who have the ability to speak there and both sides trust him and see that something comes out of these talks,” said Jaishankar.
“I think this is the beginning of the communication process. Where it will lead, I have not reached that point yet,” he added.
Jaishankar said that world leaders support what India is doing.
“People are very happy today. They say you have someone like PM Modi who has the ability to go to both capitals and have that kind of communication,” he said.