News Delhi: India and Ukraine conducted extensive and candid discussions on Friday, with the ongoing conflict and its broader implications being the focal point. The bilateral talks were held between the foreign ministers of the two nations. Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, embarked on a two-day visit to India on Thursday, amidst ongoing efforts to peacefully resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has been raging for over two years.

S Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, welcomed Kuleba at Hyderabad House for the meeting. Following their discussion, Jaishankar shared on social media, “Engaged in an open and wide-ranging conversation with Ukraine FM @DmytroKuleba this afternoon.”

He further added, “Our dialogue centered on the ongoing conflict and its wider implications. We exchanged perspectives on various initiatives in this context. We also discussed global and regional issues of mutual interest. We reaffirmed our commitment to bolstering the overall relationship, including bilateral cooperation.”

Jaishankar also posted photographs of him shaking hands with his Ukrainian counterpart and their bilateral meeting.

On the eve of his visit, Kuleba had expressed on social media, “I commenced my visit to New Delhi at the invitation of @DrSJaishankar. The cooperation between Ukraine and India is significant, and we aim to rejuvenate our ties. Building on the dialogue between @ZelenskyyUa and @NarendraModi, we will focus specifically on the Peace Formula.”

During his weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to a query about Kuleba’s visit, stated that the foreign ministers would engage in a bilateral dialogue covering a wide range of issues pertaining to bilateral relations.

He added that they would also “review the Inter-governmental Commission that was held earlier.” The two leaders will also deliberate on regional and global issues of shared concern. Jaiswal mentioned that several other engagements are also planned for the Ukrainian foreign minister.

Regarding India’s stance on the peace conference in Switzerland, the MEA spokesperson clarified, “Our position on peace initiatives and our perspective on the Ukraine-Russia conflict are clear. We persistently advocate for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy and remain open to all methods that would aid in achieving this goal.”

The Peace Formula, proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2022, outlines ten principles aimed at securing a fair and enduring peace in Ukraine.

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