Indian Minister voices ‘very deep’ concern over Ukraine conflict; urges Russia, Ukraine to return to dialogue and diplomacy

S Jaishankar

Vienna, Jan 2 (PTI) Voicing "very deep" concern over the raging Ukraine conflict, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that India is on the side of peace and since the beginning of the hostilities New Delhi's effort has been to bring Moscow and Kyiv to return to dialogue and diplomacy as differences cannot be settled through violence.

Jaishankar, who arrived here from Cyprus on the second leg of his two-nation tour, made the remarks on Sunday evening while addressing the members of the Indian diaspora in Austria.

"This (Ukraine) conflict is really a matter of very, very deep concern… Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in September (that) we actually genuinely believe that this is no longer an era of war. You cannot settle differences and issues through violence,” Jaishankar said.