De-escalation of Russia-Ukraine tensions immediate priority: India

Voicing “deep concern” over the escalation of tension after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into eastern Ukraine, India has told the UN Security Council that the immediate priority is de-escalation of tensions and said it was convinced that this issue can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue.

President Putin on Monday signed decrees to recognise Ukraine’s regions of “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” as “independent”.

Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Ukraine on Monday, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said, “we have been closely following the evolving developments relating to Ukraine, including developments along the eastern border of Ukraine and the related announcement by the Russian Federation. The escalation of tension along the border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation is a matter of deep concern. These developments have the potential to undermine peace and security of the region,” he said.

India called for “restraint on all sides” and stressed that the immediate priority is “de-escalation of tensions” taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond. Following Putin’s decision, the UN Security Council, under Russia’s Presidency for the month, held an emergency open briefing called for by Ukraine.

India strongly emphasised the “vital need for all sides” to maintain international peace and security by exercising the utmost restraint and intensifying diplomatic efforts to ensure that a mutually amicable solution is arrived at the earliest. “We are convinced that this issue can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue. We need to give space to the recent initiatives undertaken by parties which seek to diffuse tensions,” Tirumurti said, adding that in this context, New Delhi welcomes the intense efforts underway, including via the Trilateral Contact Group and under the Normandy format.

“We need Parties to exert greater efforts to bridge divergent interests. We cannot afford to have a military escalation,” Tirumurti said.