Ukrainian National Security Advisor Rustam Umarov met with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday to review bilateral relations and discuss efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Omerov is the second high-ranking Ukrainian official, after Foreign Minister Andriy Ssibha, to travel to India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Kiev in August 2024.
Jaishankar said on social media after his meeting with Omerov that they discussed “bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on the conflict in Ukraine.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on social media that Doval and Omerov reviewed bilateral relations and discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Jaiswal said Doval “reiterated India’s principled position and focus on a peaceful solution through dialogue and diplomacy.”
Umarov said that he and Doval discussed the development of bilateral relations and assessed the security situation. “The Indian side reiterated its firm position on the necessity of reaching a peaceful settlement based on dialogue and diplomacy,” he said in a post on social media.
“I am grateful for the common understanding of the need to find solutions that guarantee lasting peace,” Umarov added.
Umarov said in a separate social media post that he and Jaishankar discussed “the current situation on the frontline, the progress made in the negotiations, and the prospects for achieving a just, lasting and sustainable peace for Ukraine.”
The two sides also focused on developing bilateral cooperation and implementing the agreements outlined in the joint statement issued by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his visit to Kiev in August 2024.
“I am grateful for the open and objective dialogue,” Umarov said. “We look forward to continuing to strengthen bilateral cooperation.”
The Ukrainian side pushed for Zelensky’s visit to India, especially after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trip to New Delhi last year to attend an annual summit.
India did not publicly criticize Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, while pushing for a peaceful solution to the conflict. During his meetings with Putin and Zelensky, Modi said that solutions cannot be found on the battlefield and talks cannot succeed under weapons.
