Russian Foreign Minister meets PM Modi, Calls For “Cessation of Violence” The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for 40 minutes.
On Friday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Russian Minister said India is “ready to contribute in any way to peace efforts”. In between international rising stress on India to stand up against Russia’s Ukraine invasion, Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met for 40 minutes.
In the past two weeks, the Prime Minister has not publicly met any other visiting Ministers, it includes ministers from Austria, Greece, the UK, China, and Mexico. As per the press release from the Prime Minister’s Office, as Mr. Lavrov briefed him on the situation in Ukraine Modi called for an end to violence, including peace negotiations. The press statement responded that the “Prime Minister reiterated his call for an early cessation of violence, and conveyed India’s readiness to contribute in any way to the peace efforts.”
Earlier on Friday, Mr. Lavrov had said he wished to convey a “message personally” from President Vladimir Putin to Prime Minister Modi. In a discussion with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, the Russian Foreign Minister had said in his opening remarks, “The President (Putin) and the Prime Minister are in regular touch with each other and I will report to the President about my negotiations. He sends by the way his best regards to Prime Minister Modi and I would appreciate an opportunity to deliver this message personally.”
Mr. Lavrov told reporters about the possibility of PM Modi as the mediator in the Ukraine crisis, “India is an important and serious country. If India plays that role that provides resolution, India is our common partner… we are for the security guarantee of Ukraine… West has ignored its responsibility… India can support such process”.
Before this three days ago, Dmytro Kuleba Ukraine Foreign Minister, in an exclusive interview, had urged India to use its influence with Russia to stop the war that is in its second month and cost thousands of lives. “If Prime Minister Modi is willing to play that role (mediator between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelinsky and President Putin), we will welcome his efforts”.
Along with it, some reports suggest that India could buy greater volumes of discounted Russian oil and both sides are keen on having a rouble-rupee arrangement for bilateral trade.
Edited by – Subbuthai Padma
Published by – Iram Rizvi
