National Security Communications Advisor, John Kirby said that any conversations on the Ukraine conflict need to have Kyiv on the discussion table.
“When it comes to the Ukraine war: If there’s another country out there that is willing to be helpful in terms of trying to end the war in Ukraine, we welcome that. But by being helpful, we mean it’s got to include conversations with the Ukrainians, and it’s got to start from an understanding of where President Zelenskyy is on this,” Kirby told reporters on Friday.
“We say it all the time, and it sounds like I’m slapping a bumper sticker on it, but I don’t mean to: Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” he added.
On PM Modi’s visit to Ukraine, Kirby said, “Prime Minister Modi — India is a strong partner for the United States, and the Prime Minister is as well. And, you know, him going to Kyiv and having conversations with President Zelenskyy about where this all ends and how it ends — if that can be helpful to getting us to an end to the conflict that comports with President Zelenskyy’s vision for a just peace, well, then we think that would be helpful.”
Prime Minister Modi concluded his visit to Ukraine on Friday, the first by an Indian PM to the European nation since India established diplomatic ties with Ukraine in 1992.Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Zelenskyy during their bilateral meeting that dialogue is the only solution to the conflict in Ukraine.”India was never neutral, we have always been on the side of peace,” PM Modi told Zelenskyy in their bilateral meeting.
He further said that India was ready to play an active role in the path to peace and progress.
India and Ukraine also signed four agreements during PM Modi’s visit; the Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Food Industry; the MoU on Cooperation in the field of Medical Products Regulation; the MoU on Indian Humanitarian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects; and the Programme for Cultural Cooperation for 2024-2028.