PM Narendra Modi: India pressing for resolving Ukraine conflict through diplomacy, dialogue

India has urged a resolution to the Ukraine conflict through diplomacy and dialogue and is ready to contribute to any peace process, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday after holding wide-ranging talks with visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The talks between the two leaders covered the whole range of bilateral relations as well as key regional and global issues, including the Ukrainian conflict.

In his statement to the media, Scholz said that the world is suffering as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine and argued that no one can change borders by using violence. The war in Ukraine has led to immense loss and destruction, he said, adding that "it's a disaster."

The German chancellor's visit to India came a day after the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "We need to ensure that countries in Asia, Africa and the Americas are not heavily and negatively affected by a terrible war of aggression," Scholz said.

In his statement, Modi said that since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, India has emphasized resolving the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue. "India is ready to contribute to any peace process," Modi said. The Prime Minister stated that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukrainian conflict has been felt by the entire world, and developing countries in particular are reeling under it.

He said that there was active cooperation between India and Germany in the fight against terrorism and separatism, and that both countries agreed that concrete steps were required to end cross-border terrorism. "We also reiterated the consensus that reform of multilateral institutions is necessary to better reflect global realities," Modi said.

In his speech, the Prime Minister also said that security and defence cooperation can become an important pillar of the strategic partnership between India and Germany. "We discussed extensively on all important bilateral, regional and global issues," he said.

Modi said Germany is an important source of investment in India, besides being its largest trading partner in Europe. The increasing cooperation between the two largest democratic economies not only benefits the people of India and Germany, but also sends a positive message in today's stress-filled world, Modi said.

He also noted that India and Germany are strengthening mutual ties for the development of third countries under trilateral development cooperation.