India can play vital role in bringing swift and just end to Ukraine conflict: Polish PM Tusk

Warsaw, Aug 22 (PTI) India can play a vital role in bringing a swift and just end to the conflict in Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday after he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is embarking on a historic visit to Kyiv.

In his media statement after talks with Modi, Tusk said that he and the Indian Prime Minister clarified their positions on issues that concern the whole world today.

"I am very pleased that the Prime Minister confirmed the readiness of his personal commitment to a peaceful, just, quick end to the war. We are both convinced that India can play a very serious role here, and a positive role," Tusk said.

"We are united in our conviction that India is capable of playing an important and positive role in this matter," he was quoted as saying by the Polish Press Agency.

Tusk said that this declaration had taken on special significance especially since Prime Minister Modi would be visiting Kyiv in several hours.

"Regarding this visit, we are all convinced that it could be of historical significance," he said.

On his part, Modi said India firmly believes that no problem can be solved on the battlefield and it is ready to extend all possible cooperation for the restoration of peace and stability in the region.

Tusk said that history had taught both nations how important it was to "respect rules, borders, territorial integrity, sovereignty of states, the rule of law." He went on to say that the whole world admires India for the "consistently democratic nature of its governments," which, as he noted, was something that was not common in that part of the world.

Tusk also remarked that Poland and India had raised their relations to the level of a strategic partnership. "These are not just 'words,'" he said. "At the core of this is our determination and readiness to cooperate in many areas." The Indian prime minister will travel to Kyiv from Poland on Thursday night in a 'Rail Force One' train that will take around 10 hours. The return trip will also be of the same duration.

Modi's visit to Kyiv comes nearly six weeks after his high-profile trip to Moscow which triggered criticism from the US and some of its Western allies.

India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has been calling for resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. PTI ZH AKJ ZH ZH