Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar intends to hold talks in Moscow on Tuesday with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Bilateral issues will be discussed, but the world is more interested in whether India will take on the role of peacemaker in the Ukrainian conflict. According to Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rapport with President Vladimir Putin gives India an advantage as a mediator for a potential truce or peace agreement. (The main talks on that would have to be between the US and Russia directly, though—ed.)
The New York Times claims that India has been fostering diplomacy behind the scenes to lessen the likelihood of a potential catastrophe. In particular, India urged Moscow to reach an agreement with Ukraine on the supply of agricultural products and fertilizer to poor countries. India maintained an impartial stance while urging a diplomatic settlement at the UN, refusing to criticize Russia in international forums.
