Resolution to Russia-Ukraine war possible only when both sides join negotiations: PM Modi to podcaster Lex Fridman

Highlights his good relations with Putin and Zelenskyy; says he can urge Russia that war is not the solution while reminding Ukraine that battlefields do not bring real solutions

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the Russia-Ukraine conflict will only be resolved when both sides join the negotiation table, asserting that there can never be a resolution on the battlefield.

In a podcast with Lex Fridman released on Sunday, Modi clarified that India is not neutral, but firmly committed to peace. Highlighting his good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Modi said he can urge Russia that war is not the solution while reminding Ukraine that battlefields do not bring real solutions.

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“I have a close relationship with Russia and Ukraine alike. I can sit with President Putin and say that this is not the time for war. And I can also tell President Zelenskyy, in a friendly way, that brother, regardless of how many people stand with you in the world, there will never be a resolution on the battlefield,” Modi said.

He was responding to a question about helping make peace between the two warring nations — Russia and Ukraine. “The resolution will only come when both Ukraine and Russia come to the negotiating table. Ukraine may hold countless discussions with their allies, but it will bear no fruit. Discussions must include both parties,” he said.

The Prime Minister said initially, it was challenging to find peace, but now, the current situation presents an opportunity for meaningful and productive talks between Ukraine and Russia. “There has been a lot of suffering. Even the Global South has suffered. The world has been grappling with a food, fuel and fertiliser crisis. So, the global community should unite in the pursuit of peace. As for me, I have always maintained that I stand with peace. I am not neutral. I have a stance, and that is peace, and peace is what I strive for,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister affirmed that India, the land of Lord Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, advocates for peace over conflict. “Culturally and historically, our background is so strong that whenever we speak of peace, the world listens to us, because India is the land of Gautam Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, and Indians aren’t hardwired to espouse strife and conflict,” he said.

“We espouse harmony… we seek neither to wage war against nature nor to foster strife among nations. We stand for peace and wherever we can act as peacemakers, we have gladly embraced that responsibility,” he said.

Modi also said after Covid-19, it seemed like the world would come together, but instead, it became more fragmented, with multiple conflicts emerging globally. He added that international institutions have become irrelevant, and organisations like the UN are failing to fulfil their purpose due to not undergoing necessary reforms. “The world must move away from conflict and embrace coordination,” he said and reiterated that progress will come through development and not expansionism.