'We were requested to press Russians... which we did': EAM S Jaishankar on Ukraine crisis

Auckland: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday said that India is willing to do whatever it can to facilitate a solution to the Ukraine crisis.

Jaishankar, who is here on his first visit to New Zealand as the External Affairs Minister, India pressed Russia on the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine when the two countries intensified fighting near the highly sensitive facility.

Interacting with Simon Bridges, the CEO of Auckland Business Chamber, EAM said when it comes to Ukraine, it is natural that different countries and different regions would react a little differently.

The minister said that the people will view the Ukraine crisis from their viewpoint, their “immediate interest, historical experiences, their insecurities”.

"To me, the diversities of the world which are quite evident will also naturally lead to a differential response and I would not disrespect the position of other countries as I can see that many of them are coming from their threat perception, their anxiety, their equities in Ukraine," he said.

Jaishnakar said, in this situation, he would see what India can do, "which obviously would be in the Indian interest, but also in the best interest of the world."

"When I was in the United Nations, the big concern at that time was the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant because there was some fighting going on in the very proximity to it. There was a request to us to press the Russians on that issue which we did. There have been other concerns at various points of time, either different countries have raised with us or the UN has raised with us. I think at this time whatever we can do, we will be willing to do," Jaishankar said, PTI reported.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in southeastern Ukraine is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and asserted that there can be no military solution to the ongoing conflict in the east European country that is battling Russian forces.

During their telephonic conversation, PM Modi also underlined that endangerment of nuclear facilities could have catastrophic consequences, amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent thinly-veiled nuclear threat.

Prime Minister Modi reiterated his call for an early cessation of hostilities and the need to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

The Prime Minister also expressed his firm conviction that there can be no military solution to the conflict and conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to any peace efforts.

During his conversation with the Ukrainian President, PM Modi also reiterated the importance of respecting the UN Charter, International Law, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.

Prime Minister Modi also emphasised the importance India attaches to the safety and security of nuclear installations, including in Ukraine, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

He underlined that endangerment of nuclear facilities could have "far-reaching and catastrophic consequences" for public health and the environment, the statement said.