The top leadership of the European Union (EU) reached out to India on Thursday, seeking its role in persuading Russia to end the war in Ukraine. In a phone conversation with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated New Delhi’s consistent position in favour of peace.
Modi “reiterated India’s consistent support for peaceful resolution of the conflict and early restoration of peace and stability,” according to a readout from the external affairs ministry.
Costa and Von der Leyen said on social media, “India has an important role to play in bringing Russia to end its war of aggression and helping create a path towards peace.” They also welcomed India’s continued engagement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar separately spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, noting that India “supports an early end to this conflict and the establishment of an enduring peace.”
India-EU Trade Agreement and Strategic Partnership
Alongside the Ukraine discussions, both sides focused on concluding negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of this year.
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“We also remain fully committed to concluding the Free Trade Agreement negotiations by the end of the year,” Costa and Von der Leyen said, emphasising that “progress is needed now.”
The external affairs ministry readout said leaders welcomed progress in bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, technology, defence, security, and supply chain resilience. They reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC).
The two sides also discussed plans for the next India-EU Summit in India, with Modi extending an invitation to Costa and Von der Leyen.
Costa and Von der Leyen stressed that the conflict in Ukraine “carries global security consequences and undermines economic stability,” underscoring the importance of India-EU cooperation to foster stability and promote a rules-based order.
