June 16th 2024.
New Delhi: On Sunday, India was among the countries that did not sign a joint communique at a summit hosted by Switzerland for peace in Ukraine. However, India did call for sincere and practical engagement between Moscow and Kyiv in order to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Representing India at the summit in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock was Pavan Kapoor, Secretary in the external affairs ministry. The summit was attended by delegates from over 100 countries and organizations, including several heads of state. Despite this, India did not associate itself with any communique or document that emerged from the summit.
During his brief address, Kapoor emphasized India's participation in the peace summit and several previous meetings based on Ukraine's peace formula. He stated that this was in line with India's clear and consistent approach that lasting peace can only be achieved through dialogue and diplomacy.
The main objective of the summit, which concluded on Sunday, was to inspire a future peace process. Notably, Russia was not invited to the summit, and China decided not to attend. The Indian delegation attended the opening and closing plenary sessions of the summit. However, India did not associate itself with any communique or document that emerged from the summit, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.
The MEA also reiterated India's consistent approach to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. It emphasized the need for sincere and practical engagement between the two parties involved, referring to Russia and Ukraine. The MEA stated that India will continue to remain engaged with all stakeholders and contribute to all earnest efforts to bring about an early and lasting peace.
Kapoor also made these points during his remarks at the summit, as reported by PTI on Friday. In the joint communique issued at the end of the Peace Summit, the signatories reaffirmed their commitment to refraining from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. They also reaffirmed the principles of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine, within their internationally recognized borders.
According to a Swiss foreign ministry statement, 83 states and organizations approved the joint communique at the end of the High-Level Conference on Peace in Ukraine. The communique stated that reaching peace requires the involvement of and dialogue between all parties. Therefore, concrete steps will be undertaken in the future with further engagement of representatives from all parties.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on multiple occasions. India has not yet officially condemned the Russian invasion, maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.
At the summit, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy sought support for his 10-point peace plan, which he first outlined in 2022. He stated that the peace formula is inclusive and that they are open to all proposals and ideas that are important for peace. Zelenskyy urged all participants to be as active as possible and expressed pride in the representation of all continents at the summit.
The peace summit built upon previous discussions based on Ukraine's Peace Formula and other peace proposals. On Friday, Prime Minister Modi met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Apulia, Italy. During the meeting, Modi conveyed India's commitment to supporting a peaceful solution to the conflict and reiterated that the way to peace is through dialogue and diplomacy. He also emphasized India's belief in a human-centric approach.
In a statement after the meeting, the MEA stated that Modi conveyed India's continued encouragement for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. He also reassured Zelenskyy that India would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution. PTI also reported on the meeting.
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