India pushes for bigger role in Russia-Ukraine talks

India is pushing for a larger role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict talks, according to Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The Indian diplomat made these remarks during a speech at the Munich Security Conference in New Delhi. Jaishankar emphasized that India's stance on the issue has long been in favor of ending the war and achieving a resolution through dialogue and diplomacy.

The Indian government has been actively engaging with both Russia and Ukraine in recent months, moving beyond mere advocacy to include discussions on matters such as the safety of shipping in the Black Sea, grain exports, energy exports, and potential non-attack scenarios. These ongoing conversations are currently underway. Jaishankar highlighted that India aims to assist in various aspects of the conflict resolution process.

In September, Jaishankar paid his first solo visit to Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin have a history of close ties, having met in New Delhi in September. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated on Sunday that the United States is seeking to organize a new round of talks between Ukraine and Russia to bring an end to the ongoing four-and-a-half-year war.

The goal is to finalize these discussions by the end of October. However, the US-led peace efforts have faced significant challenges, with Washington's attention currently focused on its conflict with Iran. Moreover, Ukraine has reported an intensification of Russian aerial attacks across the country. Prior attempts at peace negotiations have failed to produce any substantial progress towards a peaceful resolution, as Russia has consistently refused to abandon its maximalist demands for ending the hostilities.