Huge development

It’s a huge development that President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the Ukraine crisis at a time when innocent Ukrainian people look to the world, especially European countries, to take an important decision to stop Russian special operations in Ukraine (“Biden, Modi in ‘candid’ Ukraine war talks as Indian stance frustrates US,” Gulf Today, April 12, Gulf Today).

Biden and Modi had a “candid exchange of views” on the Ukraine crisis at a virtual summit on Monday, but the United States appeared to have made little progress in wooing India away from its neutral stance on Russia’s invasion.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Biden “made clear that he does not believe it’s in India’s interest to accelerate or increase imports of Russian energy and other commodities.”

“It is important that all countries, especially those with leverage, press Putin to end the war,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters after the virtual summit, which was followed by an in-person meeting with his Indian counterpart and the defencae ministers from both countries.

It is also important to address the key concern of Russia as it says that Ukrainian Nato membership will be a disaster for Russia. So it is important that Russia gets surety that Ukraine will remain neutral.

Innocent people of Ukraine who left their beloved country and become refugees in neighbouring countries are facing tough times in their lives.  

Since the Russian special operations in Ukraine started there is painful news about the loss of precious lives, people fleeing the country, a beautiful nation. Ukraine looks like Iraq and Syria after heavy shelling during the special operations in that country.

I hope the world comes to a consensus to bring about peace in Ukraine for the sake of the innocent people of the nation.

Peace in Ukraine will benefit the whole world. Because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the world will face dire consequences.

So it is the need of the hour to reach a win-win agreement between Russia and Ukraine to save the innocent people of the world from awful consequences and misery.

Qasim Khan
By email