Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said today that he supports the idea of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi playing the role of mediator between Ukraine and Russia, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
„I am very glad that the Prime Minister confirmed his willingness to work personally for a peaceful, just and quick end to the war,” Tusk said in Warsaw after talks with Modi.
At their joint press conference, the Indian Prime Minister emphasized that the conflict should not be resolved on the battlefield.
India maintains good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, and has repeatedly criticized Western sanctions against Moscow, DPA notes.
Modi has sought to play a mediating role between the warring parties. He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin outside Moscow last month.
The video of the two leaders embracing caused consternation in Europe and Washington, especially after the deadly Russian strike on a children's hospital in Kiev. According to analysts, this shows the failure of the efforts of Western powers to isolate Putin on the international stage after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, DPA points out.
From Warsaw, Modi will go to Kiev, where he is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tomorrow.
Modi's visit to Poland is the first by an Indian Prime Minister since 1979
Poland is a key military supporter of Ukraine. The country, a member of the EU and NATO, also plays an important role as a logistics center for Western aid to Kyiv, DPA notes.