New Delhi refused to sign sanctions so far and has declined to speak out against Moscow
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is visiting India this Thursday. The West has been asking neutral countries to change their position on Russia following its attack in Ukraine. They have also warned of consequences for aiding Moscow bypass economic restrictions.
Truss, along with her Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will talk about the topic. “bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest,”A statement was issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Monday.
India demanded peace in Ukraine but did not sanction Russia for its war crimes against the neighboring nation. Russia and India enjoy close relations since Soviet times.
New Delhi abstained in the UN General Assembly vote on March 1st to sanction Moscow. Truss explained India’s stance at the time by reference to “some level of dependence on Russia,”Observing that the UK should promote “a closer economic and defense relationship”With the Asian country.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan was Trade Secretary. “very disappointed” by India’s unwillingness to condemn Russia.
A similar point was made by Mira Rapp-Hooper, a senior US diplomat responsible for the Indo-Pacific region, who called India’s position this month “unsatisfactory,”But “totally unsurprising.”
Since its independance in 1947, India has supported the non-alignment policy. Jaishankar last week stated that the Ukrainian crisis could only be resolved by cooperation. “dialogue and diplomacy.”
India is Russia’s biggest arms customer, with half of its total weapons imports coming from Moscow.
According to sources, the Hindustan Times reported that Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister was scheduled to meet Jaishankar in April.
Moscow attacked Ukraine in late February, following a seven-year standoff over Kiev’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, and Russia’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics in Donetsk and Lugansk. To regulate these areas within Ukraine, the German-and French-brokered protocol had been established.
Russia demanded Ukraine be declared neutral by the United States and refuse to join NATO. Kiev claims that the Russian invasion was unprovoked. It also denied claims that it planned to take the republics forcefully.
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