External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has reiterated New Delhi's call for a diplomatic solution to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Speaking to the Italian daily Corriere della Sera during the G7 outreach session in Fiuggi, Jaishankar emphasised that there is no military resolution to the conflict, urging all parties to return to the negotiating table.
“We are not offering a magic solution. We are only making the point today that after more than two and a half years of fighting and seeing that we're not going to get a solution from the battlefield, it’s common sense that some country or some leader or some set of people make an effort, talk to the two sides, try to find some common element,” Jaishankar stated. He highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been actively involved in this endeavour, holding discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the past months.
“Engaging the participants. So you have to talk to Moscow and you have to talk to Kyiv. And that's what we are trying to do. Look, it's now nearly three years. You're not going to get a solution from the battlefield, right? We have to negotiate. At some stage, people will come to the table. The sooner they do it, the better, because the rest of the world is affected,” he said.
Jaishankar also pointed out the broader implications of the conflict, stating, “It's not just that Europe is taking the brunt of this conflict. Everybody else's life is also impacted by what is happening. So do understand there is a big feeling across very large parts of the world. More effort needs to be done to actually get the participants back to the negotiation.”
On India's position regarding the International Criminal Court (ICC) indictments of world leaders, Jaishankar remarked, “We are not members of the ICC. That already tells you what our views are about that body.” Recently, the ICC issued arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Previously, it indicted Putin.
Jaishankar On China’s Growing Influence In Indo-Pacific, India Refusing To Disengage From Russia
Addressing concerns about China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar said, “My life revolves around my interests, which are to see a stable region, a more cooperative and prosperous one. We look for partners who align with our goals, not because of what another country might think.”
He also criticised Europe's selective approach to disengagement from Russia, especially regarding energy imports. “This part of the world has to understand that every part of the world has its interests. The priorities of Europe will naturally differ from the ones of countries in Asia or Africa or Latin America. If everything is a matter of such a deep principle, then Europe itself should have cut off all its business with Russia, but it doesn't do that. It's been very selective and paced its disengagement very, very carefully. So to say this region (Europe) will worry about its people, and others should not worry about what the impact will be on them, is not reasonable. And please do understand one thing. Europe was importing energy from Russia. Europe then started diverting to other producers and that put pressure on the market. So what are we supposed to do? Pay higher prices just to make you happy?” he remarked.
“Life is about respecting other people’s interests, not about having everything your way,” Jaishankar asserted, defending India's decision to prioritise its economic needs, including purchasing oil from Russia, Corriere della Sera reported.
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S Jaishankar India-Italy Relations, EU Trade Negotiations, Middle East Crisis
Jaishankar described India-Italy relations as “very positive,” highlighting the recently announced Joint Strategic Action Plan. He added, “We count on Italy’s support in our growing engagement with the European Union.” On EU-India trade negotiations, he acknowledged the challenges posed by non-trade issues but noted, “There is a strong case for cooperation. The EU is India’s largest trade partner and a key investor. But all these numbers could be much larger.”
Responding to questions on Europe’s ambitious climate goals, Jaishankar questioned their effectiveness, stating, “Look at Europe’s record on its global commitments. If you want a solution to the Ukraine conflict, concentrate on dialogue and diplomacy rather than perpetuating the conflict.”
Jaishankar concluded by highlighting the dual challenges posed by the Ukraine conflict and unrest in the Middle East, stressing the need for international leadership to address these crises.
“We will know what Russia wants or Ukraine wants only when they get down to the negotiation. We have today two major conflicts taking place simultaneously. This is putting the entire international system under great stress. And we cannot be just spectators and say, well, that's the way it is. It may or may not work. We will not know until we try. But we do believe that on both these conflicts, in Ukraine and in the Middle East, countries need to take initiatives, make efforts, however difficult it looks, to try and find some common ground, something better than what we have today,” he told Corriere della Sera.