"You don't necessarily have to mediate, sometimes you have to communicate": Jaishankar on PM Modi's visit to Russia, Ukraine

New Delhi [India], October 5 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy were "beginnings of a communication process" and that it is not necessary to mediate, "sometimes you have to communicate."
In an interactive session at The Conclave 2024 hosted by Pratidin Time, Jaishankar said that PM Modi was one of the few leaders who had the ability to speak to both parties, who trust him. He said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited Russia to brief Russians on the discussions between PM Modi and Zelenskyy.
Asked about PM Modi's visit to Russia and Ukraine, the EAM said, "No, you don't necessarily have to mediate. Sometimes you have to communicate. Let's assume you have a problem with somebody out there. I come to you. We have a conversation. In my view, that conversation is of interest to the person out there. I go to them. You are okay with it. So, I say. Okay, let me go and describe that, what is our talk to this person."
"They tell me something that's also of interest. I come back to you and say. You know, that's what they said. Now they tell me something about it, I go back to them. So what is happening here? We are actually simultaneously talking to two countries who are having a conflict. Obviously, the talk is centred around what the conflict is about. It was necessary for NSA Doval to go to Russia so that the Russians know also what we (PM Modi) spoke to Zelenskyy," he added.
He noted that the war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its third year and has caused huge economic consequences.
Jaishankar said, "The whole idea today is that there is a conflict now which has entered its third year. It's a very serious conflict. I mean if you look in terms of the human cost of this conflict, it is enormous. I mean, it's really hundreds of thousands of people have died. If you look at the economic consequences, it's huge. If you look at the implications for the world, the whole world has felt its implications, because oil prices went up, food prices went up, there were various complications."
Jaishankar said that during his visits to the US, he could see that the world was supportive of what India was doing with regards to conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
He said, "Now, you can either watch this conflict and say, you know none of us can do anything about it. So, it'll end when it ends or you can say I'm one of the few countries or in our case also one of the few Prime Ministers, leaders who has the ability to speak there, to come here, to be honestly, I mean both parties in a way I would say respect or trust him and to say okay let me have these conversations and see whether out of these conversations something moves. Something, let us say even though you are at war, you might say okay, I agree on that point or maybe this is a way to go forward. So, I think these are the beginnings of a communication process where it will lead, I have not quite reached the point which you set, but to my mind, you know I would say this."
"What I saw in the UN and after that I went to Washington as well, much of the world supports what we did. I mean people are very happy today. I mean, they at least say, okay, you have a person like Prime Minister Modi, because you can count on your fingertips today, who has the ability to go to both capitals and that kind of communication, because, see Prime Minister Modi cannot go every time to another capital and meet. So, sometimes it could be an NSA Doval, It could be me. I've also spoken to some of the foreign ministers, including of those two countries concerned. So, I think it's a good thing that we are doing. And I can tell you one thing, the world is with us," he added.
Earlier in September, PM Modi held a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in New York. Their meeting on the sidelines of UNGA was the third between the two leaders in little over three months.
In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "Met President @ZelenskyyUa in New York. We are committed to implementing the outcomes of my visit to Ukraine last month to strengthen bilateral relations. Reiterated India's support for early resolution of the conflict in Ukraine and restoration of peace and stability."
PM Modi had visited Ukraine on August 23 and and held talks with Zelenskyy. It was the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in 1992.
Earlier this July, PM Modi visited Russia and held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was PM Modi's first visit to Russia since the war started between Moscow and Kyiv in 2022.
During his meeting with Putin in July, PM Modi said, "As a friend, I have always said that for the bright future of our coming generations, peace is of utmost importance. But I also know that solutions are not possible on battlegrounds. Amid bombs, guns and bullets, solutions and peace talks do not succeed. We will have to follow the path to peace only through talks."
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine started, India has called for a peaceful resolution of conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. India has also expressed its willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return of peace.