External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday responded strongly to India’s ‘criticism’ over Russian oil purchases, while also strongly saying the world felt the need to be at the negotiating table to resolve the nearly three-year-long Russia-Ukraine standoff. Is. Confrontation.
Asked about getting ‘cheap oil’ from Russia, Mr Jaishankar replied sternly, “I get oil, yes. It is not necessarily cheap. Do you have a better deal?”
Shri Jaishankar was speaking at the 22nd edition of the Doha Forum panel on ‘Conflict Resolution in the New Era’, where Foreign Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Foreign Minister of Norway Espen Barth Eide were also present.
“Delighted to participate in a @DohaForumpanel with Prime Minister and FM of Qatar @MBA_Al Thani and FM of Norway @EspenBarthEide on “Conflict Resolution in the New Era” today in Doha. As conflicts escalate around us, The need of the hour is more diplomacy, not less,” he said in a post on X.
glad to participate @DohaForum Panel on “Conflict Resolution in the New Era” with PM and FM in Doha today @MBA_AlThani_ Of ???????? and fm @EspenBarthEide Of ????????.
As conflicts escalate around us, the need of the hour is more diplomacy, not less. #DohaForum pic.twitter.com/aQ1mF0lOhP
– Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) 7 December 2024
Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Mr Jaishankar reiterated India’s stand that the situation can be resolved only through dialogue and diplomacy and not on the battlefield.
“We have always been of the view that the solution to this war is not going to happen on the battlefield. At the end of the day, people will return to some kind of negotiating table, the sooner the better. Our effort has been to discuss “To make it as convenient as possible,” he said. “It hasn’t been the most popular thing, at least in some parts of the world.”
The Foreign Minister further emphasized that the world is accepting the reality of dialogue instead of continuing the war. He also pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia and Ukraine aimed at encouraging resolution of the conflict.
“I think today the needle is moving more towards the reality of negotiations rather than continuing the war… We are going to Moscow, talking to President Putin, going to Kiev, talking to President Zelensky , meeting them in other places, trying to see if we can encourage them to find common threads that can be picked up at some time when the circumstances are appropriate to develop,” he said.
However, Mr Jaishankar also clarified that India has no ‘peace plan’ to resolve the conflict but “honest and transparent” talks between the two sides.
“We are not attempting a peace plan, we are not mediating in that sense. We are having multiple conversations and have been very transparent in letting each side know that the end of the negotiations is what we will tell the other party. We think that, at this time, is most useful … diplomatically,” he said.
He further said that he believes it is important to bring the perspective of the Global South to how they are affected by war.
“We also believe that we articulate the sentiments and interests of the global South, the 125 other countries whose fuel costs, food costs, inflation, their fertilizer costs have been affected by this war,” he said.
Mr Jaishankar is on an official visit to Qatar and Bahrain from December 6-9.
In Bahrain he will co-chair the fourth India-Bahrain High Joint Commission (HJC) with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. The External Affairs Minister will also participate in the 20th edition of the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on 8 December.
Earlier in the day, S Jaishankar met Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Ahmed Al Saeed on the sidelines of the Doha Forum.
Leaders were seen shaking hands and talking.
“Pleased to meet Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Qatar, and Ahmed Al Saeed, Minister of State, Qatar, on the sidelines of the Doha Forum today,” Mr Jaishankar said in a post on Twitter.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
