EU Appeals to India to Persuade Putin for Ukraine Peace

Brussels: The European Union has called on India to play a constructive role in ending the Russia-Ukraine war by urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt hostilities. The appeal was made by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, following the signing of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.

Kallas emphasized that India’s close ties with Russia could be leveraged to push for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict. While the joint statement released after the trade agreement did not specifically mention Russia, EU officials have made it clear that they expect India to use its diplomatic influence to promote peace.

EU Accuses Russia of Pretense
Addressing media after the 16th India-EU Summit, Kallas stated, “We are facing an existential threat from Russia… We want this war to end. In discussions with our Indian counterparts, we urged them to raise this issue on their side. Ukraine agreed to an unconditional ceasefire a year ago. From Russia, we see only theatrics—they pretend to negotiate but are not genuinely engaging in dialogue.”

Targeting of Ukrainian Civil Infrastructure
Kallas further highlighted Russia’s destructive actions in Ukraine, saying, “Russia is making maximum demands, including over areas they have militarily occupied. Nearly 93 percent of their targets have been civilian infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, residential areas, and energy systems. These attacks inflict maximum suffering on Ukrainians, compelling them toward surrender, which is prohibited under international humanitarian law.”

EU Seeks India’s Pressure on Russia
She stressed, “I have explained to my Indian counterparts why Russia is acting this way. Russia is not focusing on territorial gains; it aims to inflict as much pain as possible. We have asked India to apply pressure on Russia because this conflict is harmful even to southern nations. Our goal is peace—both immediate and lasting.”

While India-EU statements avoided direct reference to Russia, Kallas’ remarks underline Europe’s expectation of India’s diplomatic mediation in the protracted war.