The Union government, on Monday, has called for immediate de-escalation on the Ukraine issue and taking into account the legitimate security interests of all nations soon after it abstained from a procedural vote in the United Nations Securit Council on whether discussions were needed on the looming threat of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
The discussion in the UN Security Council took place with 10 countries and was led by the United States which voted in favour of conducting a meeting. India along with Kenya and Gabon abstained from voting in the matter. China and Russia voted against the meeting. This was a procedural vote and was not subjected to veto.
Following the procedural vote, India, for the second time speaking on the matter, said that the issue should be resolved through constructive and diplomatic dialogue between the two nations. India’s ambassador to UN T S Trimurti stated that the nation’s interest is in finding a solution that can provide immediate de-escalation of the tensions taking into account the legitimate security concerns of all the countries and aimed towards long-term security, peace, and stability in the region and beyond as well. He also said that India had been in touch with all the nations that are concerned with the rising tensions in the area. He further added that over 20,000 Indian students and other nationals have been living in Ukraine and also in the border areas of the country.
The decision to abstain from voting is in tune with the balancing act that has seen the government refrain, despite the building of pressure by the United States to speak up and from saying anything to call out Russia’s alleged aggression. India has defence ties attached to Russia and India is also banking on support from Moscow in making sure that its interests in Afghanistan are not undermined.
Russia, last year in November, had proposed and helped India in organising a conference on Afghanistan. Russia has also been working to defuse the rising tensions between China and India as Russia had proposed for a Russia-India-China summit even as there is a military standoff going on in eastern Ladakh. More importantly, the Russian deputy minister of foreign affairs, Sergey Vershinin, just ahead of the United Nations security council meeting, visited India to hold discussions on UN-related issues.
Russia is expected to take up the presidency of the Council on Tuesday and it is understood that the Russia-Ukraine issue was also taken up during these discussions.
Trimurti during the UNSC meeting said that it is India’s considered view that the issue can only be resolved through diplomatic context between the two nations. In this context, he said, India welcomed the efforts undertaken including under the Minsk Agreement and the Normandy format. India also welcomed the unconditional observance of the July 2020 ceasefire in Donbas and the reaffirmation of the Minsk Agreements as the base of work under the ongoing Normandy format. Particularly the commitment of all the sides to reduce disagreements on the way forward. The ambassador of India also urged all the parties for the continuation of engagements through all diplomatic channels.
