Jaishankar meets Russian counterpart, says world seeing 'consequences' of Ukraine conflict

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday (November 8, 2022) held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and discussed a range of bilateral, regional and global issues including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. In his opening remarks, Jaishankar told Lavrov that the world is now seeing the consequences of the Ukraine conflict. He also said their meeting today is devoted to assessing the state of India-Russia bilateral cooperation; exchanging perspectives on the international situation and what that means to our respective interests. 

"Where bilateral ties are concerned, you would agree that it is our objective today to fashion a contemporary, balanced, mutually beneficial, sustainable and long-term engagement. Especially as our economic cooperation increases, this is a significant imperative. We would be discussing how our shared goals are best achieved," Jaishankar, who arrived in Moscow on Monday evening, said.

"Where the international situation is concerned, the last few years of the Covid pandemic, financial pressures and trade difficulties; these have taken a toll on the global economy. We are now seeing the consequences of the Ukraine conflict on top of that," he added. 

He stated that there are also the more perennial issues of terrorism and climate change, both of which have a "disruptive impact" on progress and prosperity. 

Jaishankar and Lavrov have already met four times after the Ukraine conflict began in February. This, however, is Jaishankar's first visit to Russia since July 2021. 

Since the Ukraine conflict began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Russian President Putin as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a number of times.

In a phone conversation with Zelenskyy on October 4, Modi said there can be "no military solution" and that India is ready to contribute to any peace efforts.

At a bilateral meeting with Putin in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on September 16, Modi told him that "today's era is not of war".

India, notably, has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.