India’s abstention at UNSC can help it mediate in Russia-Ukraine crisis: sources

India decided to abstain from a US-sponsored UN Security Council resolution that strongly deplored Russia’s aggression against Ukraine on Friday which helped it retain the option of fostering diplomatic dialogue, a source close to the development has said.

“By abstaining, India retained the option of reaching out to relevant sides in an effort to bridge the gap and find the middle ground with an aim to foster dialogue and diplomacy,” the source said.

Also read

Russian troops push toward Ukrainian capital

Russia-Ukraine war could spill over to cyber space

Putin waves nuclear sword in confrontation with the West

US Secretary Blinken speaks to Jaishankar, calls for collective condemnation of Russian invasion of Ukraine

UN gives $20 million to scale up Ukraine humanitarian aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, urged India for political support in the UNSC.

“Spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Informed of the course of repulsing Russian aggression. More than 100,000 invaders are on our land. They insidiously fire on residential buildings. Urged India to give us political support in the UN Security Council. Stop the aggressor together!” Zelenskyy said in a tweet on Saturday.

The Russian Embassy in India, on the other hand, appreciated India’s “independent and balanced’’ position at the voting in the UNSC on February 25, 2022.

“...In the spirit of the special and privileged strategic partnership Russia is committed to maintain close dialogue with India on the situation around Ukraine,” it stated in a tweet.

The UNSC resolution, which called for unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian territory, fell through as Russia, one the five permanent members of the council, vetoed it. India, China and the UAE abstained from voting. The other permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC — France, Britain, US, Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, and Norway — voted in favour of the resolution.

Though India abstained at the UNSC, it called for immediate cessation of violence and hostilitiesat the UNSC, the source said. This was also conveyed by Modi to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday night in their telephonic exchange, the source added.

Active role

Following Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine early on Thursday to check the alleged threat from a growing closeness of the country with NATO powers, the Ukrainian Ambassador to India Igor Polikha had urged India to help resolve the Ukraine crisis given the country’s ‘special privileged strategic partnership’ with Russia.

Not only did Putin speak to Modi on the on-going Ukrainian crisis, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also have been in touch with Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on the matter.

In its Explanation of Vote (EOV) after abstaining, India called for return to path of diplomacy.

India’s priority at the moment, however, remains the evacuations of all its nationals, including students, still in Ukraine.

“Regarding evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine, we are making progress. Our teams are working on the ground round the clock. I am personally monitoring….,” Jaishankar tweeted on Saturday morning.

Sanctions against Russia

While the UNSC resolution deeply condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine, it dropped an earlier draft that would have allowed it to take enforcement action.

The EU and US however, are coming up with stringent economic sanctions against Russia which include freezing of assets of prominent Russians close to Putin and blocking of payment channels.

Modi, in his discussion with Zelenskyy, expressed India’s willingness to contribute in any way towards peace efforts, a release by the Prime Minister’s Office said. 

“He sought facilitation by Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and safely evacuate Indian citizens,” the release added.

COMMENT NOW