New Delhi : Speaking in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India is ready to contribute in any way possible to efforts aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

According to the news agency Reuters, Jaishankar said that if India can assist in any manner, it is prepared to do so.

Jaishankar made these remarks while interacting with journalists during his visit to Kyiv. He was accompanied by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Discussions between Jaishankar and Andrii Sybiha also covered the attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister welcomed India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar upon his arrival in Kyiv, describing it as a significant first bilateral visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to Ukraine.

He noted that Russia is continuously attacking Ukrainian cities, ports, and civilian vessels, making Jaishankar’s visit to Kyiv particularly important.

The two leaders discussed normalizing ship movements in the Black Sea and global food security. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister welcomed Prime Minister Modi’s stance favoring diplomacy and dialogue to end the war.

The meeting also addressed enhancing India-Ukraine cooperation in sectors such as infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, technology, and the digital economy. Both nations agreed to hold the next meeting of the inter-governmental commission.

During his visit to Kyiv, when asked by journalists about India mediating between the two countries to end the war, Jaishankar replied, “If India can help in any way, we are ready to do so.”

The External Affairs Minister further emphasized that discussions were also held regarding the recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea. It is worth noting that the External Affairs Minister’s visit to Ukraine comes shortly after Indians were killed in attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea a few weeks ago.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha also expressed hope for an early end to the war. He noted that with political and diplomatic discussions resuming in capitals across the globe, there is an expectation that peace efforts will gain new momentum.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar’s visit to Ukraine takes place against the backdrop of Prime Minister Modi’s recent conversation with the Russian President on this issue. Modi had stated that the focus must shift from an “endless war” to “bringing the war to an end”—a sentiment with which Russian President Putin had also concurred.

While attending the SCO summit, Putin addressed the question of ending the war by stating that a possibility still exists to conclude the conflict in Ukraine and reach a peace agreement. However, he acknowledged the significant difficulty in restarting negotiations. “Is there a possibility of the war ending? In my view, yes, there is,” he said, emphasizing that several nations—including China and the United States—are willing to mediate to bring the conflict to a close.

The Russian President also stressed that regardless of who acts as a mediator, the ultimate responsibility for ending the war lies with Russia and Ukraine themselves. “We are grateful to those making efforts to bring this to an end,” he said. “But ultimately, it is Russia and Ukraine that must resolve this issue.”

Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)