India has stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, while expressing concern over the &ldquo;collateral consequences&rdquo; of the war, including soaring fuel prices, noting that countries of the Global South have largely been left to fend for themselves.
India&rsquo;s permanent representative to the UN, P. Harish, voiced support for efforts to end the Ukraine War.
&ldquo;We endorsed the Summit meeting in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. We appreciate the progress made at the Alaska Summit,&rdquo; Harish told the General Assembly on Thursday.
Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had met in Alaska on August 15 at the initiative of the US president to push for peace.
&ldquo;India welcomes recent positive developments in this direction&rdquo; towards peace, Harish added.
Reiterating India&rsquo;s willingness to support diplomatic efforts, he said, &ldquo;India stands ready to support diplomatic efforts for an early end to the conflict.&rdquo;
He highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s engagements with Ukraine&rsquo;s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin, and European leaders, saying they promote the chances of peace.
Zelensky had spoken to PM Modi on Saturday before meeting Putin and mentioned on X that he was ready to meet the Russian leader. A direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin is the next step in the peace plan proposed by Trump, which has so far been elusive.
&ldquo;The wholehearted participation and commitment of all stakeholders are critical for lasting peace,&rdquo; Harish said during the Assembly&rsquo;s debate on Ukraine.
He also welcomed Trump&rsquo;s outreach to Zelensky and engagement with European leaders.
&ldquo;We also note the subsequent diplomatic efforts by the US President in engaging with the Ukrainian President and European leaders in Washington,&rdquo; he said.
Three days after meeting Putin, Trump briefed Zelensky and European leaders including France&rsquo;s President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Germany&rsquo;s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italy&rsquo;s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, EU President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Rutte. This led to European leaders cautiously endorsing Trump&rsquo;s efforts and creating a blueprint for a post-peace scenario.
&ldquo;We believe all these diplomatic efforts hold the promise of bringing to an end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and opening up prospects for a lasting peace,&rdquo; Harish said.
&ldquo;India has consistently advocated that the path of dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, no matter how insurmountable such a course may appear,&rdquo; he added.
Harish also addressed the war&rsquo;s collateral damage, particularly rising fuel prices, emphasizing the plight of countries in the Global South.
&ldquo;These countries have been left to fend for themselves. It is critical that their voices are heard, and their legitimate concerns duly addressed,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;India&rsquo;s approach to the Ukraine conflict continues to be people-centric, providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic support to our friends and partners in the Global South, including some of our neighbours who are facing economic distress,&rdquo; he added.
Harish refrained from directly condemning Russia&rsquo;s invasion, echoing PM Modi&rsquo;s implicit message to Putin: &ldquo;This is not an era of war.&rdquo;
Acting US Permanent Representative Dorothy Shea said, &ldquo;The United States, under President Trump, has undertaken exceptional efforts to bring this war to an end.&rdquo;
She emphasized, &ldquo;The next step is for Russia and Ukraine&rsquo;s leaders to meet bilaterally, and ultimately to agree on an end to the fighting.&rdquo;
However, she expressed scepticism due to Russia&rsquo;s continued attacks. &ldquo;After the Trump-Putin summit, Russia launched the second largest aerial attack on Ukraine since the war began. These continued attacks cast doubt on the seriousness of Russia&rsquo;s desire for peace,&rdquo; she said, adding, &ldquo;Strikes on civilian areas must stop immediately.&rdquo;
Ukraine&rsquo;s Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa ruled out territorial concessions in any peace deal suggested by Trump, stating, &ldquo;Crimea and all Russian-occupied territories remain sovereign Ukrainian territory under its Constitution and international law. These are the starting points for genuine peace, peace that must be anchored in reliable security guarantees.&rdquo;
Russia&rsquo;s Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzya countered firmly, insisting that the territories it captured were historically and culturally Russian. &ldquo;To call them occupied territories is an erroneous and politically motivated construct,&rdquo; he asserted. [Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed]

India Supports Diplomacy in Ukraine Conflict

India urges dialogue, welcomes positive developments, and offers support for lasting peace

India Supports Diplomacy in Ukraine Conflict

India urges dialogue, welcomes positive developments, and offers support for lasting peace

September 5, 2025 | 18:17 IST