Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity must: NSA Doval at Jeddah conference on Ukraine

India's NSA Doval: Dialogue/diplomacy only way to resolve Ukraine crisis. India supports UN Charter/int'l law. Respect for sovereignty/territorial integrity must be upheld. India providing humanitarian/economic assistance. Zelensky's 10-point "peace plan" focus of conference.

Dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward for peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said at a conference in Jeddah while underlining the need for upholding sovereignty and territorial integrity by all states without exception.

The two-day meeting on the Ukraine conflict was hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and attended by top security officials of around 40 countries, including U.S. NSA Jake Sullivan and China's Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui.

Russia was not invited to the deliberations.

In his address on August 5, Mr. Doval, referring to the impact of the conflict, said the whole world, especially the Global South is bearing the brunt of the situation.

India has regularly engaged both Russia and Ukraine at the highest levels since the beginning of the conflict and New Delhi supports a global order based on principles enshrined in the UN Charter and international law, he said.

The NSA especially emphasises that respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity by all states must be upheld without exception, people aware of the deliberations at the conference said.

Mr. Doval also said that all peace efforts involving all stakeholders must be pursued to find a just and enduring solution to the conflict and that it is in this spirit that India participated in the meeting in Jeddah.