By Abhijit Roy
The Ukraine war has been going on for a year, and there are still no definite indicators that it is coming to an end. Both opposing sides appear incapable of winning and unwilling to concede defeat. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, is attempting to obtain more and more weapons from the United States and other European nations, while Joe Biden, the president of the United States, unexpectedly arrived in Kiev and made it obvious that he has no intention of resigning with Ukraine’s assistance. Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, is, however, taking extra care to ensure that his aggressiveness about this matter does not diminish. Russian-Chinese relations are further strengthened by China’s proximity to the country and its admission that it may provide Moscow with armaments.
It is also evident, however, that the war is making things more difficult for many European nations as well as the world economy, in addition to Ukraine and Russia. Due to this, efforts to bring about peace are gaining momentum while declarations fanning the flames of conflict. China and India appear to be the two nations best capable of commencing the peace process and bringing it to a successful end in this situation. These are the two important nations that have friendly connections with both Ukraine and Russia, have refrained from accusing Russia of starting the conflict, and have opposed the attack. This explains why these two nations are influential in Ukraine and Russia.
India’s position appears to be better in these situations as well because it will continue to be at the forefront of international diplomacy in the days, weeks, and months to come. To meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, German Chancellor Olof Scholz will travel to India this week. Georgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, will pursue her. The G-20 foreign ministers’ meeting will be held in New Delhi the following week, at which both US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be present. It is possible to use these gatherings to look for a workable peace solution formula.
It is difficult to come up with a solution that will satisfy both parties, though, given the fact that Russia has taken control of Ukraine’s four border areas, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya. While Russia is steadfast in wanting to keep its occupation, Ukraine is resolute about pulling out. But, making the impossible feasible is also thought to be one of diplomacy’s talents.
(Author is a Jamshedpur-based columnist. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at [email protected])