India, China could help in ending Russia-Ukraine war: Meloni

Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sees a role for India and China in resolving the on-going conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

“I believe China and India have a role to play in resolving the conflict. The only thing that cannot happen is to think that the conflict can be solved by abandoning Ukraine,” a TV channel quoted Meloni as saying.

Her statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin put India among the three countries he is in touch with over the Ukraine conflict, saying they are sincerely making efforts to resolve it.

“We respect our friends and partners who I think are sincerely interested in addressing and resolving all the issues associated with the conflict (with Ukraine). China, Brazil, India… I am in contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries, and we have the relations of trust and confidence with one another, will be really interested in providing a helping hand,” Putin was quoted as saying by the media reports.

The Russian president while addressing the 9th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, had also mentioned India’s role in providing a “helping hand” in resolving the issue.

Meanwhile, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that India could play a role in facilitating dialogue with Ukraine as Prime Minister Narendra Modi “freely communicates with Putin, Zelenskyy, and the Americans”.

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Modi, during his visit to Ukraine last month, the first by an Indian prime minister since the country gained independence in 1991, urged Zelenskyy to engage in direct talks with Russia, emphasising that both countries should not delay in seeking an end to the war.

Before visiting Ukraine, Modi had a summit with Putin six weeks earlier. He, in fact, spoke to Putin and shared his inputs from his visit to Ukraine and reportedly said that India is committed to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict with Ukraine.