New Delhi: India is an appropriate candidate to come up with a solution to stop Russia-Ukraine war as India has skilled and good diplomacy, German envoy Philipp Ackermann said, as reported by news agency ANI.
"India buying oil from Russia is none of our business. If you get it at a low price, I can't blame India for it. India is an appropriate candidate to come up with a solution (to stop Russia- Ukraine war). India has skilled and good diplomacy," he said.
His statements come ahead of the bilateral visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is set to arrive in India on Saturday. This will be his first tour to India during his current tenure and he will visit New Delhi and Bengaluru.
The German ambassador said that Scholz will be accompanied by a business delegation during his India visit. A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will boost the German business in India in a significant way and the German businesses are interested in getting an FTA done between both the countries, he said.
“German Chancellor Scholz and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to discuss climate change during their meeting in Delhi. Skilled labour migration is also one of the main agendas of discussion,” Ackermann said.
“We see Russia and Ukraine very high on agenda during the meeting between German Chancellor Scholz and PM Modi. Recently, we have seen US President Biden in Ukraine. The Indo-Pacific will be on their meeting agenda too,” the German envoy added.
Speaking on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the German envoy said, “German Chancellor is every now and then on the telephone with Putin. There's uninterrupted communication between the Kremlin and some European capitals. We've to be honest, this communication has delivered nothing, but we believe Ukraine crisis must be resolved diplomatically.”
“We will continue to help Ukraine to defend its territory. The Russian side is surprised by the unity and strategic patience of the West. It is important to sustain the international order. Our position on Crimea is clear too. It is an integral part of Ukraine,” Philipp Ackermann added.