Ukrainian President Zelensky has stated that claiming neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine war is unrealistic, as “neutrality means allying with Russia.” He once again criticized countries like Communist China for providing economic assistance to Russia, and expressed hope that India could host a peace summit to facilitate peace talks and end the war.
On Monday, Zelensky gave an interview to the “Times of India,” conveying an important message to India that no country can remain neutral in a war, and he fully supports Indian Prime Minister Modi in hosting the second peace summit. The first peace summit was held in Switzerland in June this year, where representatives from 92 countries and 8 international organizations gathered to discuss ending the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, with both China and Russia absent.
Zelensky reiterated his criticism of Communist China and other countries for providing economic aid to Russia, allowing Russia to continue its war against Ukraine. He revealed that the so-called “peace plan” proposed by China and Brazil was formalized and lacked concrete plans, which Russian President Putin did not accept, leading to Brazil’s president’s absence from the BRICS summit.
The Brazilian President’s office previously revealed that President Lula had a minor brain hemorrhage due to a fall at home, and doctors advised him against taking long flights, resulting in the cancellation of his trip to Russia for the BRICS summit.
In May of this year, China and Brazil jointly proposed the “Six-Point Peace Plan” and have been working to gain support from Latin American, Asian, and African countries. Zelensky questioned the intentions behind China and Brazil’s efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war at the UN General Assembly in September, warning that sacrificing Ukraine’s interests would not strengthen their own power.
According to a Ukrainian government document obtained by Politico in September, the Chinese authorities’ goal is to “prevent Russia from losing in the war.” Pascal Boniface, the director of the French Institute of International Strategic Studies, stated on France 24 that China cannot accept Putin’s failure as they do not want to see a pro-Western democratic regime established on their border with Russia.
Last week, the BRICS summit was held in Kazan, Russia, where China and Russia attempted to expand the BRICS group to challenge the US-led global order. Modi emphasized that BRICS countries should not position themselves as alternatives to global organizations.
Modi, speaking at the closing ceremony of the BRICS summit, stressed the need for cautious actions to avoid being perceived as replacing other global institutions. He added that BRICS countries should work towards reforming institutions such as the United Nations Security Council and multilateral lending institutions.
During the summit, Modi met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, but no substantive discussions took place between them. Xi mentioned the importance of enhancing communication and cooperation to address differences, while the Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that stable, predictable, and friendly bilateral relations between China and India would have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity.
Ahead of the summit, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced that both countries had reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements for the disputed border in the Himalayan region. Reports suggest that China gave up sovereignty over Pangong Lake in exchange for this agreement.
Even after reaching an agreement on patrolling the disputed borders with China, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that India would continue to restrict investment from countries with land borders, primarily targeting Communist China.
India is actively diversifying its trade and defense cooperation with Western countries. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, during his visit to India, expressed Germany’s push for the EU and India to swiftly finalize a free trade agreement. Scholz aimed to diversify Germany’s trade further to reduce economic reliance on China, with both countries signing various cooperation agreements.
Modi highlighted China’s efforts to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region, posing threats to the region’s rule of law and freedom of navigation. The increasing cooperation with Germany in defense and security signifies a symbol of trust.