New Delhi: National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval Saturday strongly pitched for peace between Russia and Ukraine as he asked both countries to talk, while noting that territorial integrity and sovereignty must be respected without exception.
He was speaking at an NSAs’ meeting on Ukraine in Jeddah, for which Saudi Arabia had invited 30-odd countries, leaving out Russia.
American National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is also participating in the meet and is expected to meet Doval on the sidelines as well.
The NSA meeting was organised to discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plan for peace.
Sources in the security establishment said that India has regularly engaged both Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict at the highest levels.
Doval said that India will remain an active and willing partner to find a lasting and comprehensive solution and that nothing will give India more happiness and satisfaction than such an outcome.
Sources said that the NSA stressed that India supports the global order based on principles enshrined in UN Charter and international law.
Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity by all states must be upheld without exception, he said, adding that all peace efforts involving all stakeholders must be pursued to find a just and enduring solution.
It is in this spirit that India participated in the meeting in Jeddah, he said.
“The whole world and especially Global South is bearing the brunt of the situation,” Doval noted, while underlining that India is providing both humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic assistance to its neighbours.
“India’s approach has been and always will be to promote dialogue and diplomacy. This is the only way forward for peace,” he further said.
Doval noted that the meeting confronts a two-fold challenge — resolution of the situation and softening the consequences of the conflict, and hence efforts must be directed on both fronts simultaneously and much more groundwork is needed to ensure this.
“Currently, several peace proposals have been put forward. Each has some positive points but none is acceptable to both sides. The key question that needs to be addressed in this meeting is whether a solution that is acceptable to all relevant stakeholders can be found,” he said.
The report has been updated to correctly reflect the name of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The error is regretted.
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