U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday (7/28) stressed the importance of a “just and durable peace” for Ukraine in a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the U.S. State Department said. The discussions came amid news of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Ukraine.
Modi is likely to visit Ukraine in August, Indian media reported in recent days. It would be his first visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022, and would come just weeks after he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed displeasure and disappointment over Modi’s visit to Russia.
Even though Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine, Russia-friendly countries such as India and China continued their trade.
In a statement Sunday, regarding the meeting between Blinken and Jaishankar, the State Department said, “Secretary Blinken emphasized the importance of achieving a just and durable peace for Ukraine consistent with the UN Charter.”
Social media posts from both Blinken and Jaishankar on Sunday mentioned their meeting but did not specifically mention Ukraine.
India has refrained from directly criticizing Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, while urging the two countries to resolve their conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. New Delhi has resisted Western pressure to distance itself from Moscow since the invasion, citing its long-standing ties with Russia and its economic needs.
In recent years, Washington has sought to improve its ties with New Delhi as the US increasingly views India as a potential counterweight to China's rise. But during Modi's visit to Russia, the US State Department said it had raised concerns with India about its ties with Russia. (uh/ab)
