EU Urges India to Help End Ukraine War; Modi Reiterates Call for Peaceful Resolution

The top leadership of the European Union (EU) on Thursday urged India to use its influence with Russia to help end the war in Ukraine, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated New Delhi’s consistent call for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

During a phone conversation with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the two sides also discussed expediting talks on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which both sides hope to conclude by the year-end.

“India has an important role to play in bringing Russia to end its war of aggression and helping create a path towards peace,” Costa and von der Leyen said in identical posts on social media, adding that they welcomed India’s continued engagement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to a readout from the external affairs ministry, Modi “reiterated India’s consistent support for peaceful resolution of the conflict and early restoration of peace and stability.” The leaders also reviewed regional and global issues and emphasised the importance of the India-EU strategic partnership in addressing global challenges and upholding a rules-based order.

External affairs minister S. Jaishankar separately spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, reaffirming India’s support for “an early end to this conflict and the establishment of an enduring peace.”

India has maintained that the conflict cannot be resolved on the battlefield and has repeatedly called for direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine. Modi has conveyed this stance in recent conversations with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, including on the sidelines of this week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China.

The EU call comes ahead of a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Copenhagen on Saturday, where discussions are expected to include an “Anti-Circumvention Tool” that could trigger secondary sanctions on countries aiding Russia in bypassing Western restrictions. India has faced renewed pressure from the US to scale back Russian oil imports, though New Delhi continues to defend its purchases on grounds of energy security. Russia currently accounts for nearly 40% of India’s crude supply.

The conversation also touched on broader India-EU ties, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to an early conclusion of the FTA negotiations and progress on the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). They also agreed to work towards holding the next India-EU Summit in New Delhi soon.