Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in India on Thursday for a two-day visit, his first since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last month.
Lavrov will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Friday, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. A media advisory issued by the Ministry of External Affairs on Lavrov’s visit had not mentioned a meeting between the Russian foreign minister and PM Modi.
After a two-day visit to China, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in India.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a visit to India last week. Gabriele Visentin, the EU’s Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific, was in New Delhi this week. His trip to India coincides with those of US Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
Unlike many other major powers, India has not yet condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and it has abstained from voting on UN platforms condemning Russian aggression.
However, India abstained last Thursday on a resolution pushed by Russia on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, which was interpreted as reflecting its neutral stance on the conflict.
India has been advocating for a diplomatic and dialogue-based solution to the crisis.
Modi spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, March 2, and March 7. Modi had spoken twice with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Last week, Jaishankar stated in Parliament that India’s position on the Ukraine conflict has been “steadfast and consistent,” and that the country has sought an immediate cessation of violence.
