India ready to support peace efforts, Jaishankar tells Zelenskyy in Kyiv

Jaishankar’s visit came against the backdrop of an increase in Russian attacks on merchant shipping in the Black Sea, which have led to death of five Indians

India's Support for Ukraine

India stands ready to help in all efforts to end the war in Ukraine, external affairs minister S Jaishankar told the top Ukrainian leadership in Kyiv on Thursday, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to move from “endless war to the end of war”.

Peace efforts and the development of bilateral ties, including trade and investment, figured in discussions between the Ukrainian leadership and Jaishankar, the first external affairs minister to make a stand-alone visit to Kyiv. Jaishankar also visited Ukraine as part of the delegation that accompanied Modi on a trip two years ago.

Jaishankar’s visit came against the backdrop of a significant increase in Russian attacks on merchant shipping in the Black Sea, which have caused the deaths of five Indian seafarers, and drone and missile strikes on cities across Ukraine. Jaishankar pointed to the death of an Indian national in an attack in Kyiv two days ago and said: “We join in mourning every life lost and convey our deepest sympathy to every affected family.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More