Russia-Ukraine conflict: India in 'good position' to listen to both sides, says German envoy

Pic/PTI

German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann has noted that Berlin has always said India is in a "very good position" to listen to both the sides when it comes to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Though he does not know what New Delhi is intending to do, but Berlin would "welcome any engagement", he added.

Ambassador Ackermann interacted with media on Wednesday, October 23, at his residence in the national capital, ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to India, news agency PTI reported.

On Friday, October 25, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and Chancellor Scholz will co-chair the seventh Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC). According to PTI, IGC is a whole-of-government framework under which ministers from both the sides hold discussions in their respective areas of responsibility and report on the outcome of their deliberations to the prime minister and the chancellor.

In response to a query on India's potential role towards seeking a resolution of the over two-year-long Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ackermann said, "We all know that Prime Minister [Modi] is coming back from Kazan (Russia)... the BRICS Summit. He has been talking to a lot of leaders, including the Russian president, and without being privy to know the agenda of the bilateral talks, I am sure it will be on the agenda, and the chancellor will be very curious what the PM has to say after this meeting".

"We have always said that India is in a very good position to basically listen to both sides, and to have both sides in mind. We have seen the PM going to (Ukrainian capital) Kyiv, we have seen a renewed interest in the conflict. I don't know what India is intending to do, but we would welcome any engagement," he added.

Later an interaction with PTI Videos after his briefing, the German envoy said he was convinced that Modi and Scholz "will discuss geopolitics".

"I am very convinced that they will discuss geopolitics, although I don't know the agenda of the bilateral meeting. It will always be good to listen to India's perspective on things. We have a Euro-centric perspective on things, India can add to this view a lot. I know that the chancellor and the PM have a very good communication on these questions, and I am sure these will be tackled [during the meeting]," he said, when asked if the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and war in West Asia will figure in talks of the two leaders.

PM Modi at BRICS Summit

On Tuesday, PM Modi held bilateral talks with Putin, hours after arriving in the central Russian city of Kazan to attend the 16th BRICS Summit, PTI reported.

India supports dialogue and diplomacy and not war, PM Modi said at BRICS Summit on Wednesday, in an unambiguous message calling for resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict through peaceful negotiations.

In his address, the PM also flagged concerns over pressing challenges such as wars, economic uncertainty, climate change and terrorism and said BRICS can play a positive role to take the world in the right path.

PM Modi had visited Russia in July, marking his first visit since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In August he undertook a visit to Ukraine at the invitation of Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In a joint statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on this visit, the Indian side had reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, as part of which, India attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, in June.

The Ukrainian side had welcomed such participation by India and highlighted the importance of high-level participation by New Delhi in the next Peace Summit.

Last month, PM Modi had met Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The leaders had exchanged views on bilateral ties and also discussed the situation in Ukraine.

Modi had reiterated India's willingness to play a constructive role in the quest for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

(With PTI inputs)