India in ‘very good position’ to basically listen to both Russia, Ukraine: German envoy

PTI New Delhi: German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann has noted that Germany has always said India is in a "very good position" to basically listen to both sides when it comes to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Though he does not know what New Delhi is intending to do, but Berlin would "welcome any engagement", he added. Ambassador Ackermann interacted with media at his residence here, ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to India. On October 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Scholz will co-chair the seventh Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC).

The IGC is a whole-ofgovernment framework under which ministers from both sides hold discussions in their respective areas of responsibility and report on the outcome of their deliberations to the prime minister and the chancellor. In response to a query on India's potential role towards seeking a resolution of the over two-year-long conflict, Ackermann said, "We all know that Prime Minister (Modi) is coming back from Kazan... BRICS Summit. He has been talking to a lot of leaders, including the Russian president, and without being privy to know the agenda of the bilateral talks... I am sure it will be on the agenda, and chancellor will be very curious what the PM has to say after this meeting". "We have always said that India is in a very good position to basically listen to both sides, and to have both sides in mind. We have seen the PM going to Kyiv, we have seen a renewed interest in the conflict... I think, I don't know what India is intending to do, but we would welcome any engagement," he said. Later an interaction with PTI Videos after his briefing, the German envoy said he was convinced that Modi and Scholz "will discuss geopolitics". "I am very convinced, although I don't know the agenda of the bilateral meeting, but I am very convince that they will discuss geopolitics. It will always good to listen to India's perspective on things.

We have a Euro-centric perspective on things, India can add to this view a lot. I know that the chancellor and the PM have a very good communication on these questions, and I am sure these will be tackled during the.. .(meeting)," he said, when asked if the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia will figure in their talks. Prime Minister Modi is currently visiting Russia for the 16th BRICS summit being held in Kazan. On Tuesday, he held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin hours after arriving in the central Russian city to attend the summit. India supports dialogue and diplomacy and not war, Prime Minister Modi said at the BRICS Summit on Wednesday, in an unambiguous message calling for resolution of the Russia- Ukraine conflict through peaceful negotiations. In his address, Modi flagged concerns over pressing challenges such as wars, economic uncertainty, climate change and terrorism and said the BRICS can play a positive role to take the world in the right path. PM Modi had visited Russia in July, marking his first visit since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In August he undertook a visit to Ukraine at the invitation of Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a joint statement issued by the MEA on this visit, the Indian side had reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, as part of which, India attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, in June this year. The Ukrainian side had welcomed such participation by India and highlighted the importance of highlevel Indian participation in the next Peace Summit. In September, PM Modi had met Zelenskyy on the sidelines of UNGA in New York.The leaders had exchanged views on bilateral ties and also discussed the situation in Ukraine. The prime minister had reiterated India's willingness to play a constructive role in the quest for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.