Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will travel to Moscow this week to hold discussions aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, sources have said.
This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia (in July) and Ukraine (in August) where he held meetings with the Presidents of the two countries — Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Shortly after his trip to Ukraine and meeting with President Zelenskyy, Modi spoke to President Putin over the phone on August 27. A Russian Embassy statement then said that Modi informed Putin about his visit to Kyiv and stressed India’s commitment to bring about a settlement by political and diplomatic means.
Sources said that it was during this phone call that the leaders decided that Doval would travel to Moscow for peace talks.
Doval’s visit, however, is part of the BRICS NSA meeting this week ahead of the annual Summit in Kazan. The meeting will see top security officials of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa besides new members Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia. Doval is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
On September 5, while addressing the 9th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin mentioned India’s role in providing a “helping hand” in resolving the issue.
“We respect our friends and partners who I think are sincerely interested in addressing and resolving all the issues associated with the conflict (with Ukraine). China, Brazil, India… I am in contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries, and we have the relations of trust and confidence with one another, will be interested in providing a helping hand,” said Putin.
