On Friday, amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Hyderabad House in New Delhi and appreciated India’s approach to react to the situation in the entirety of the effect and not just one-sided way.
“These days our western colleagues would like to reduce any meaningful international issue to the crisis in Ukraine. We do not fight anything and we appreciated that India is taking this situation in the entirety of effect and not just one-sided way”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on April 1 as he discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries at length.
These days our western colleagues would like to reduce any meaningful international issue to the crisis in Ukraine. We do not fight anything and we appreciated that India is taking this situation in the entirety of effect and not just one-sided way: Russian FM Sergey Lavrov pic.twitter.com/a4NLmC5QkW
— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2022
Meanwhile, during the meeting, EAM Jaishankar mentioned that the bilateral relations between India and Russia had continued to grow in many areas. Referring to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Jaishankar said that the meeting between the two leaders came amid a ‘difficult international environment’. “Our bilateral relations have continued to grow in many areas. Our meeting takes place in a difficult international environment quite apart from the pandemic”, he said adding that India has always favoured resolving disputes through diplomacy.
Lavrov also mentioned during the presser that Russia is ready to supply India any goods that India wants and the two nations enjoy very good bilateral relations.
We will be ready to supply to India any goods which it wants to buy from us. We are ready to discuss. Russia & India have very good relations: Russian FM Lavrov pic.twitter.com/5KF2k5jZvH
— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2022
The two leaders also discussed the recent developments in trade and economic relations. EAM underlined that global volatility in different domains was of particular concern to India. “It is important for both countries that their economic, technological, and people-to-people contacts remain stable and predictable”, he said.
India-Russia Foreign Ministers’ meeting
— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2022
Our bilateral relations have continued to grow in many areas. Our meeting takes place in a difficult international environment quite apart from the pandemic. India has always been in favour of resolving disputes through diplomacy: EAM pic.twitter.com/J7kES9UGqU
Sergey Lavrov arrived in India on Thursday on a two-day official visit, this being his first trip to the country since Moscow launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24. According to the reports, he reached India after his two-day visit to China. MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi yesterday posted a video of Lavrov’s arrival with the caption, “Welcoming the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov as he arrives in New Delhi for an official visit.”
Welcoming the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov as he arrives in New Delhi for an official visit. pic.twitter.com/eHHCRgF30y
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 31, 2022
On Wednesday, Lavrov held talks with China’s Wang Yi and informed him that Russia was committed to easing the ongoing tensions with Ukraine and maintaining communication with the international community. The duo also pledged to strengthen the bilateral ties. Lavrov’s visit to India also coincides with that of US Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
Russian leaders and elites are facing western sanctions, including an asset freeze and travel ban considering the country’s situation with Ukraine. Unlike many other leading powers, India has abstained from the votes at the UN platforms in condemning the Russian aggression. India has instead been pressing for the resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue.
Despite repeated and relentless attempts by Western powers to get India to condemn Russia, and join them in imposing sanctions against the country, India has refrained from it and has maintained that it wants a resolution to the conflict through dialogues and diplomacy.
