Archive · 5 Sep 2026
India Seeks Diplomatic Path to End Russia-Ukraine War
India’s foreign minister, S Jaishankar, visited Ukraine and Poland to discuss the war with Russia.
He said India is talking with both Russia and Ukraine.
India is looking for ideas that could reduce the fighting or help end it.
India believes that talks, diplomacy and negotiations are more useful than trying to solve the war on the battlefield.
Jaishankar also said stopping India from buying Russian oil would not by itself end the war.
He said India needs dependable fuel for its 1.4 billion people.
Ukrainian leaders welcomed India’s call to move from an endless war toward an end to the war.
The countries discussed dangers to ships and food supplies in the Black Sea.
They also discussed cooperation in medicines, agriculture, infrastructure, technology and digital services.
S Jaishankar said India remains in continuous contact with both Russia and Ukraine to explore ways to mitigate or end the conflict.
India says dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations—not battlefield action or trade decisions—are the route to ending the war.
Jaishankar defended India’s Russian oil purchases, saying fuel needs for 1.4 billion people are separate from finding a peace agreement.
During his Kyiv visit, Jaishankar met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
India and Ukraine discussed Black Sea shipping, food security, bilateral cooperation and a future Intergovernmental Commission meeting.
- Who
- S Jaishankar, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were central to the discussions.
- What
- India said it is exploring diplomatic ideas with Russia and Ukraine to mitigate or end the war, while also discussing Russian oil, shipping security and bilateral cooperation.
- When
- Jaishankar made the remarks on Friday in Warsaw after visiting Kyiv on Thursday; the articles describe the conflict as being in its fifth year.
- Where
- The meetings and discussions took place in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Warsaw, Poland, with additional bilateral discussions involving Russia.
- Why
- India says the war requires dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations, while the talks also addressed fuel supplies, shipping threats, food security and broader cooperation.
India’s Position
Ukraine’s Position
Path to peace
India’s Position
India says the conflict should be addressed through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations, and that solutions will not emerge from the battlefield.
Ukraine’s Position
Ukraine welcomes diplomacy but says the war must end and that any peace should be reliable.
Russian oil purchases
India’s Position
India says buying or not buying oil will not determine whether the war ends and says its fuel needs must be considered.
Ukraine’s Position
Ukraine has a different position on Russian oil purchases and is seeking a clear stance from major powers that Russia’s war must end.
Black Sea shipping
India’s Position
India highlighted attacks on commercial shipping, casualties among Indian seafarers and effects on fuel, fertiliser and food supplies in the Global South.
Ukraine’s Position
Ukraine called for freedom of navigation and secure maritime routes, and said Russia’s alleged blocking of its ports, food corridor and supplies is disrupting global relations.
- India’s diplomatic engagement
- Jaishankar said India is in continuous contact with both the Ukrainian and Russian sides and is seeking ideas that could help mitigate or end the conflict.
- India’s proposed approach
- India advocates dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations rather than relying on battlefield action.
- Offer of assistance
- Jaishankar said India is ready to provide help in any manner to end the war.
- Russian oil position
- Jaishankar said the conflict will not end because countries choose to buy or not buy oil, alumina, fertilisers, metals or minerals.
- Fuel requirement
- Jaishankar said ensuring fuel supplies for India’s 1.4 billion people is a challenge.
- Ukrainian response
- Zelenskyy thanked India for its commitment to ending what he called Russia’s unjust war, while Sybiha said Ukraine stands ready for diplomacy.
- Black Sea concerns
- The discussions covered attacks on commercial shipping, freedom of navigation, blocked ports and food supplies affecting global food security.
- Bilateral cooperation
- India and Ukraine discussed pharmaceuticals, agriculture, infrastructure, technology, digitalisation, innovation, startups and a future Intergovernmental Commission meeting.
