Ukraine hopes that India will join a peace summit hosted by Switzerland this summer and also play a role in bringing Russia to the table, said its Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday, ahead of a bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Kuleba, currently on a two-day visit to New Delhi at the invitation of his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, suggested that India could potentially become the initial non-Western nation to endorse President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 10-point peace proposal, intended to resolve the conflict instigated by Russia's invasion in February 2022.

“India can take the lead to become the first major non-Western power to openly support the summit on President Zelenskyy’s peace formula. The conversation with Russia can begin one day, and India can be well placed in this process,” Kuleba told Hindustan Times during an interaction with a small group.

“If India wants to lead, it has to move. Having India’s confirmation of support for the peace formula will mean having a big player on board. India is a voice that matters to others, especially in the Global South, and it will help to convince them,” he said.

Kuleba added, “India matters and we would like to have it on board. It will add legitimacy to the international efforts and bring other countries on board.”

The peace summit, whose dates are still pending announcement by Switzerland, is expected to be the primary focus of Kuleba's discussions with his Indian counterparts on Thursday. In addition to co-chairing the India-Ukraine inter-governmental commission with Jaishankar, Kuleba is scheduled to hold talks with Deputy National Security Adviser VikramMisri.

Issues related to the bilateral partnership and cooperation on regional and global issues of mutual interest will also figure in these meetings, the external affairs ministry said.

India has opted not to publicly condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine, instead consistently advocating for dialogue and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. New Delhi has frequently highlighted the repercussions of the conflict on global food, energy, and fertilizer prices, underscoring its impact on nations in the Global South.

During individual phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy on March 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy remain the preferred approach to addressing the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Modi affirmed India's support for all efforts aimed at achieving an early and peaceful resolution of issues between the two parties.

Kuleba acknowledged the legacy of India’s long-standing relations with Russia and said New Delhi could pick one or two topics from Zelenskyy’s peace formula, “possibly the return of children and the prisoners of war as well as energy security”.

The peace formula has been designed to safeguard Ukraine's rights, allowing nations to endorse any of the 10 points proposed by Zelenskyy at the G20 Summit in Bali in 2022.

This formula envisages, among other things, restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, withdrawal of Russian troops, formal confirmation of the end of war, release of all prisoners, and radiation and nuclear safety, especially in the context of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Since last year, four meetings involving security officials and political advisors from numerous countries have taken place to discuss Zelenskyy’speace formula. India has consistently been represented at these meetings, with either middle-ranking diplomats or the deputy national security adviser attending most of them. The highest-ranking Indian official to participate in these discussions was National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who addressed a gathering hosted by Saudi Arabia in August last year.

Image source: PTI