European Union leaders call PM Modi, stress India's role in ending Russia's war against Ukraine

New Delhi: Just days after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday received a call from the European Union leaders, Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, who underlined that India had an important role to play in ending the former Soviet Union nation’s conflict with Ukraine.

“India has an important role to play in bringing Russia to end its war of aggression and helping create a path towards peace,” von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, posted on X after she and Costa, president of the European Council, spoke to Modi over the phone. The prime minister reiterated India’s consistent support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict and early restoration of peace and stability, according to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

Costa and von der Leyen called the prime minister even as the leaders of Europe and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had a meeting of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ to discuss ways to step up pressure on Russia for cessation of hostilities.

Modi had held a bilateral meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s summit at Tianjin in northern China on September 1, when the prime minister, according to the MEA in New Delhi, had emphasised the need to expedite a cessation of the conflict and find a durable peace settlement. “Ways must be found to bring the conflict to a swift end and to secure peace. This is the call of all humanity,” Modi had told Putin.

A couple of days before the Modi-Putin talks in Tianjin, Zelenskyy said that the prime minister seemed ready to convey the “appropriate signal” to the president of Russia. His comment had signalled that Kyiv had expected Modi to insist on a ceasefire during his talks with Putin.

“We warmly welcome India’s continued engagement with President Zelenskyy,” von der Leyen wrote on X. “This war carries global security consequences and undermines economic stability. So, it is a risk to the entire world.”

President Donald Trump of late announced an additional 25% tariff on India’s exports to the US – in addition to the 25% imposed earlier – as a penalty because the South Asian nation continued to buy oil from Russia despite sanctions imposed by the West in response to Putin’s “special military operations” in Ukraine.

Modi and the EU leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to concluding the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations by the end of the year.

“Looking ahead, we plan to agree on a joint strategic agenda at the next EU–India summit, as early as possible in 2026,” von der Leyen wrote on X. “To achieve this, progress is needed now.”

Modi and the EU leaders also welcomed progress in bilateral relations in key sectors, such as trade, technology, investment, innovation, sustainability, defence, security and supply chain resilience. They also discussed the early implementation of the India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor.

Building on the historic visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February, the leaders discussed organising the next India-EU Summit in India at an early date of mutual convenience, the MEA stated in New Delhi, adding: “The prime minister invited the two leaders to India for the same.”