India, China, Brazil can be mediators for talks with Ukraine: Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday named India, China and Brazil as possible intermediaries for peace talks with Ukraine, saying he has “relations of trust and confidence” with the leaders of these three countries.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin contended that an agreement reached by Russian and Ukrainian negotiators during talks in Turkiye in March 2022 – within weeks of the launch of the Russian invasion – should serve as the basis for any future talks.

Putin was responding to a question by the moderator about countries that can act as mediators between Russia and Ukraine. “First of all, it is Chinese People’s Republic, Brazil and India – I am in contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries – and we have relations of trust and confidence with one another – will be really interested and provide a helping hand,” he said.

He subsequently added, “If there is a desire [on the part] of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that, but based on the agreements that were achieved in Istanbul.”

Putin was referring to talks held in Turkiye in March 2022 by Russian and Ukrainian negotiators that he claimed had led to a document that was endorsed by the Ukrainian side. He further contended that this agreement wasn’t implemented because the West “instructed” Ukraine to continue fighting to ensure the “strategic defeat” of Russia.

The panel discussion also featured Chinese vice president Han Zheng and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who said securing a “just and fair” peace would immensely help not only Russia and Ukraine but the entire world because the conflict is disrupting global supply chains.

Putin’s remarks came against the backdrop of visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia in July and Ukraine in August. Modi told both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that a solution cannot be found on the battlefield and nudged them to return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

Zelensky has suggested that a planned second peace summit on Ukraine could be hosted by India, but he also emphasised that this will only be possible if New Delhi signs on to the joint communique that was issued after the first peace summit hosted by Switzerland in June. India participated in the first peace summit but didn’t endorse the joint communique.

While in Moscow during July 8-9, Modi told Putin that talks cannot succeed under the shadow of the gun. Given Ukraine’s refusal to join direct negotiations with Russia, Modi said a solution to the conflict can’t be found without engaging Russia. Modi also said that New Delhi’s position is not neutral, but on “the side of peace”.

Modi’s visits to Moscow and Kyiv were seen as the delicate balancing resorted to by India in the face of persisting calls from the West to help find a solution to the conflict, especially in the context of its efforts to act as the voice of the Global South.

India has so far not publicly censured Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and it has largely abstained on all Ukraine-related resolutions at the United Nations. It has ramped up purchases of discounted Russian commodities, especially oil. The Indian side has, however, emphasised that it is ready to play an active role in all peace efforts.

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