Putin welcomes India's mediation to end Ukraine conflict; BRICS summit concludes

NEW DELHI: India’s diplomatic prowess grabbed headlines once again after Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed New Delhi's offer to mediate in the conflict with Ukraine. This development follows India's efforts to foster peace in the West Asian conflict by bringing together Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The BRICS summit, which highlighted India's diplomatic excellence, concluded on Sunday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed their willingness to mediate during separate discussions held with Russian President Putin on the sidelines of the summit. Putin and Modi had also discussed the Ukraine issue during a bilateral meeting the previous day. The intervention by India and China offers a ray of hope, especially as attempts by US President Donald Trump to resolve the four-year-long conflict have not yielded success. Russia maintains good relations with both India and China. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin welcomed the offer.

• The joint statement issued at the conclusion of the BRICS summit paved the way for peace efforts by omitting any specific reference to the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
• The summit hosted by India successfully conveyed the message that BRICS can resolve global conflicts.
• A major success was the facilitation of a joint statement proposing a resolution to the West Asian conflict, bringing together Iran and its regional counterparts, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The unexpected meeting between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan marked a significant diplomatic victory for India.

The 18th BRICS summit concluded with the handover of the chairmanship to China. Indirectly targeting the US, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that global hegemony based on sheer might is unacceptable and emphasised that BRICS must convey the message that the global order applies to everyone. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who presided over the final day's session, highlighted the influence of BRICS in the new global order and the importance of cooperation among its member nations.