Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Tuesday that Russia and Ukraine must engage in dialogue, and India is always ready to provide advice if needed. He emphasized that the Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved on the battlefield.
While answering questions at the German Foreign Ministry's annual ambassadors' conference in Berlin, Jaishankar mentioned that India has 'not closed its doors to trade with China,' but the issue is on what terms and in which areas the country trades with Beijing.
'The conflict will not be resolved on the battlefield'
Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine war, he remarked, 'We do not think this conflict will be resolved on the battlefield. At some level, some negotiation will have to take place. Whenever any negotiation happens, both sides, Russia and Ukraine, must be involved.' His remarks came a day after a 'meaningful conversation' with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh.
'Dialogue is necessary'
Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia and Ukraine, he noted that PM Modi had said in Moscow and Kyiv that 'this is not an era of war'. He added, 'We do not think you will find a solution on the battlefield. We believe that dialogue is necessary. If you want advice, we are always ready to provide it.'
'The Quad has been a very successful experiment'
Stating that nations have differences, but conflict is not the way to resolve them, Jaishankar also mentioned that the Quad has been a very successful experiment. India is a member of the Quad group, which includes the USA, Japan, and Australia. China has consistently opposed the Quad. He stated that India, the USA, Japan, and Australia, located at four different corners, decided to work together, thus revitalizing the Quad.
