India appeals for ‘utmost restraint’ on Ukraine crisis at UNSC session

T.S. Tirumurti, India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, presented the country’s position during an emergency session of the UN Security Council convened by Ukraine along with the US and the UK hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was recognizing the independence of the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

“We have been closely following the developments relating to Ukraine, including developments along the eastern border of Ukraine and the related announcement by the Russian Federation,” Tirumurti said.

“The escalation of tension along the border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation is a matter of deep concern. These developments have the potential to undermine peace and security of the region,” he said. Tirumurti sought “restraint on all sides” and reiterated India’s call for the immediate de-escalation of tensions while “taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond”.

He also reiterated India’s contention that the issue “can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue” and said: “We need to give space to the recent initiatives undertaken by parties that seek to defuse tensions.”

Tirumurti welcomed “intense efforts” to address the situation, including through the trilateral contact group and under the Normandy format. The Minsk Agreements provide the basis for a negotiated and peaceful settlement and all parties need to make “greater efforts to find common ground to facilitate the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Agreements, including key security and political aspects”, he said.

The Normandy format talks involve Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and France, and the Minsk Agreements were finalized in 2014 to end fighting in the Donbas region.

“We need parties to exert greater efforts to bridge divergent interests. We cannot afford to have a military escalation,” Tirumurti said, highlighting the need for constructive diplomacy to avoid scaling up of tensions.

Tirumurti further reiterated India’s focus on the well-being of more than 20,000 Indian students and nationals living and studying across Ukraine, including in its border areas.

“We strongly emphasize the vital need for all sides to maintain international peace and security by exercising the utmost restraint and intensifying diplomatic efforts to ensure that a mutually amicable solution is arrived at the earliest,” he said. Unlike most other members of the UN Security Council, India has stopped short of criticising the latest actions of Russia, a close strategic ally and defence partner, along the borders of Ukraine.