If India changes its attitude towards Russia, the war will end: Zelensky

Ukrainian President Zelensky discusses India's oil purchases from Russia, urging a change in attitude to end the war.

Describing India as a “big country” with a “big influence” on the Russian economy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said if India and Indians “change their attitude” towards Russia, the war will end because Russian President Vladimir Putin will end it. He was talking of India’s “record breaking” deals for oil from Russia.

Acknowledging the discussion on India’s energy purchases from Russia in the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Zelensky, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the Indian side explained to the Ukrainian side the energy market scenario and the need for prices to remain “reasonable and stable”.

In an hour-long interaction with the visiting Indian media, Mr. Zelensky described his meeting with Mr. Modi as “very good” and “historic”. On the top issues during talks, he said, was India’s oil purchase from Russia.

“Because today many possibilities of Russian exports are closed, your country is open,” he said. “If you stop import of oil, Putin will have huge challenges.”

He said that Mr. Putin has a war economy and billions coming from India or China helped him. “We should stop giving money in strengthening Russian arms,” he stressed.

He said that Mr. Putin “never respected” Mr. Modi which is why Russia bombed a hospital in Ukraine at the same time the Indian Prime Minister was in Moscow last month.

Asked if the issue of India’s stance on resolutions at the United Nations was discussed, he said it was not. “We are not happy that we didn’t get Indian support. We have to now speak before the resolutions. We don’t have time to looks at the past. I want to build something good, something positive,” he said.