NEW DELHI: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to urge India on its neutral stance in the Ukraine war, after arriving in India on Sunday for discussions on trade, security, and climate change.
Russian intervention has underlined a delicate balancing act between the West and Russia, which supplies most of India’s armaments in neighbouring Afghanistan.
A UN Security Council vote deploring Moscow’s “aggression” has not come from India’s government. So, the EU plans to sway Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his neutral stance.
During her first stops, Von Der Leyen lauded India for its “ambitious” renewable energy aim and said that the Ukraine war had brought attention to energy security concerns. EU dependent on Russian fossil fuel is “a sharp message” to the rest of us, she added.
“It’s not just beneficial for the environment, but it’s also a strategic investment in our national security. “
On Monday, she will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the latest in a string of recent diplomatic visits attempting to entice India away from Russia with promises of security, defence, and energy cooperation.
When Modi welcomed his British colleague Boris Johnson this week, Ukraine was on the table, on a trip that concluded in the declaration of a new security and defence relationship.
Prior to Johnson’s arrival, US Vice President Joe Biden had a phone conversation with him about the invasion.
Works at The Truth International Magazine. My area of interest includes international relations, peace & conflict studies, qualitative & quantitative research in social sciences, and world politics. Reach@ aimen.bukhari@tti.org.pk
