WASHINGTON DC: The US will welcome the role that India or any other country could play in helping achieve a “just and lasting peace” while recognising Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a press briefing on Monday.
To a question whether India or Prime Minister Narendra Modi can play a part in putting an end to the protracted conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Miller said, “We welcome a role that India or any other country could play in helping achieve a just and lasting peace that recognizes Ukraine’s territorial integrity and Ukraine’s sovereignty.”
Claiming that the conflict with Ukraine has been a “strategic failure” for Russia, Miller said Russia has suffered loss of military personnel and equipment. He said the US welcomes the international support that Ukraine has received since the beginning of the conflict.
Responding to another question on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Miller said, “The war has been strategic failure for Russia which has seen enormous loss of both military personnel but military equipment. They have seen their standing in the world affected. They have seen their economy crippled by the sanctions and export controls we have imposed.”
He added, “We welcome the international support that Ukraine has received since the beginning of the conflict.”
Earlier, in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden expressed concern over the conflict in Ukraine and mourned its “terrible and tragic” humanitarian consequences. The two leaders in a joint statement called for respect for international law, principles of the United Nations charter and territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“President Biden and Prime Minister Modi expressed their deep concern over the conflict in Ukraine and mourned its terrible and tragic humanitarian consequences. The leaders underscored the serious and growing impacts of the war on the global economic system, including on food, fuel and energy security, and critical supply chains. They called for greater efforts to mitigate the consequences of the war, especially in the developing world,” the statement read.
“Both countries further pledge to render continuing humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine. They called for respect for international law, principles of the UN charter, and territorial integrity and sovereignty. Both countries concurred on the importance of post-conflict reconstruction in Ukraine,” it added.
Earlier, in May, PM Modi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, assuring him of India’s support in resolving the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.
“India and I will do whatever we can for the resolution of the conflict,” PM Modi said.
It was the first meeting between the two leaders since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began last year, on February 24.
Further, since the conflict began, PM Modi has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as President Zelenskyy a number of times, urging both leaders to arrive at a diplomatic solution.
In September, last year, PM Modi told President Putin that now is “not an era of war”. (ANI)