“Solution Will Not Emerge From Battlefield": Jaishankar On Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that the solution will not emerge from the battlefield, adding that it is imperative to return to dialogue and diplomacy. He underlined how India had reiterated numerous times that the use of force is not the way to resolve problems between countries, and emphasized that "more needs to be done."

"From the very beginning, we had the view that the use of force does not resolve problems between countries. In the last 2-2.5 years, this conflict has cost lives, economic damage, and global consequences, impacted other societies, and contributed to global inflation... We do not think that the solution will emerge from the battlefield," Jaishankar said while speaking to the press in Tokyo today.

The EAM further called for a return to dialogue and diplomacy and continuous efforts should be made by the countries involved to resolve the conflict. "We believe that there must be a return to dialogue and diplomacy...Our feeling today is that more needs to be done, we should not resign ourselves to the continuation of the current state of conflict and say let this take its own course..." the minister said.

Jaishankar, along with Foreign Ministers of Japan Yoko Kamikawa and Australia's Penny Wong as well as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken participated in the Quad foreign ministers' meeting held on July 29 in Tokyo. Quad is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, committed to supporting an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.

The Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting joint statement issued on July 29 said that the countries of the bloc were collectively advancing a positive and practical agenda to support the Indo-Pacific region's sustainable development, stability, and prosperity, responding to the region's needs. The statement said that they contribute to a region in which all countries and people can exercise free choice on how they cooperate, and trade based on partnership, equality and mutual respect.

Through Quad, the countries are supporting the region through practical cooperation on challenges such as maritime security, critical and emerging technologies, cyber security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, health security, climate change, counterterrorism, infrastructure and connectivity, and addressing the debt crisis through sustainable, transparent and fair lending and financing practices. The countries will cooperate with regional partners to address shared challenges in the region, the statement read.

PM Modi, who was on an official visit to Moscow recently, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin there. It was PM Modi's first visit to Russia since the war started between Moscow and Kyiv in 2022. Notably, India has always advocated "peace and diplomacy" for resolving conflict between Ukraine and Russia but has continued to purchase Russian oil, despite the objections of the Western nations, especially the US.

PM Modi said that everyone who believes in humanity is pained when there is a loss of lives.  He further stated that it is "heart-wrenching" when innocent children are dying. The Prime Minister also reiterated that the resolution to the conflict can't happen on battlefield but only through dialogue.