Oleksandr Polishchuk.
New Delhi: The Ukrainian ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, urged New Delhi to take a more proactive stance in mediating peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. While speaking to reporters, Polishchuk also reportedly said if India has ambitions to be a permanent member of the United Nations security council, it must show it can play a role in global peace efforts and security.
In a Hindustan Times report [archived link], Polishchuk was quoted from an interview as saying: “Maybe India can play the role of a courier to deliver messages, but this isn’t what we expected from India. We expected moderation of the dialogue with Russia, we need those who can moderate negotiations.”
The report then further quoted Polishchuk as saying: “If the only way ahead is diplomacy and dialogue, India can’t be just a post box. India should use its position and relations with Russia to convince Moscow of the need to take part in peace talks.” The report then quoted the ambassador saying that India was aiming for a permanent seat in the UNSC, it must demonstrate its commitment to global peace and security.
The HT report quoted him as saying: “Aiming for the seat [in a reformed UNSC] just to protect its national interests would be a low target. Of course, Ukraine supports India’s bid for UN security council membership.”
In a Bloomberg report [archived link] too, Polishchuk was quoted as saying: “If India is aiming for permanent seat in the United Nation’s [Sic] security council to serve its own interest, it is setting the bar too low.”
[Editor’s note: Both HT and Bloomberg didn’t mention any detail of the interview/interviews or on which occasion Polishchuk said the quoted remarks, neither did they mention the date when Polishchuk made those quoted remarks. Therefore, India Sentinels can’t vouch for the authenticity of these Oleksandr Polishchuk remarks as quoted by the two media outlets.]
Earlier this week, while talking to ANI [archived link], Polishchuk expressed his hope that India would participate at a “very senior level” in the next peace summit to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, Polishchuk also noted that India had not signed the final communique after the peace summit in Switzerland but expressed optimism that India could still play a major role in future peace negotiations. He stressed the importance of principles like nuclear and food security, which are crucial [especially] for the [Eastern European] region.
Polishchuk described the recent Ukraine visit by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, “historic” and said his discussions with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as concrete. He reiterated his country’s desire for Modi to personally attend the next peace summit.
Polishchuk said during his Kyiv visit last month, Modi invited Zelenskyy to visit India, and expressed hope that it will happen. He hinted that Zelenskyy may visit India [archived link] by the end of this year. He further said [if the visit happens] it would also provide a great opportunity for the two leaders to spend more time discussing the peace-building process around the world.
India’s position in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been complex, given its historical ties with Russia and its growing strategic partnerships with western nations. While India has refrained from explicitly condemning Russia’s actions, it has also been actively engaging in diplomatic efforts to mediate peace. Just weeks before visiting Ukraine, Modi visited Russia and held discussions with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
