US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stood next to Indian foreign and defense ministers on Monday and gave a targeted message about supporting Ukraine.
Blinken noted that the United States would continue to call on nations to support Kiev, “just as we call on all nations to condemn Moscow’s increasingly brutal actions.”
Commenting at a press conference after the 2+2 US-India ministerial meeting in Washington, Blinken said: “Russia’s war against Ukraine is an attack on the Ukrainian people. It is also an attack on that rules-based order that we both observe and defend.”
The United States, Blinken said, “will continue to increase our support for the government and people of Ukraine and call on other countries to do the same, just as we call on all countries to condemn Moscow’s increasingly brutal actions.”
Blinken stated that the Russian war “is in stark contrast to the vision shared by the United States and India for a free and open Indo-Pacific”, noting that Moscow’s actions had global repercussions.
India has continued to buy Russian oil after the war in Ukraine and abstained last week to remove Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.
The US Secretary of State also said on Monday that “India should make its own decisions about how it approaches Russia’s war in Ukraine” and that the US “is important that all countries, especially those with influence, press Putin to make a decision.” to end the war.”
“We, as a general proposal, are consulting with all our allies and partners about the consequences of Putin’s war, the atrocities being committed against the people of Ukraine,” Blinken said at the press conference after the 2+2 US ministerial meeting. and India. †
Blinken said it was important that “democracies stand together and speak with one voice to defend the values we share – and we deeply share the values of freedom, openness, independence, sovereignty, and those values should be applied everywhere. ”
The top US diplomat noted that “India’s relationship with Russia has developed over decades, at a time when the United States could not be a partner of India”, but “times have changed” and the US “in capable and willing to be a partner of choice with India.”
“And I also want to note that India provides significant humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine, especially medicines that are very necessary and in high demand,” he added.
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said India is “against the conflict” and “for dialogue and diplomacy” and the “urgent cessation of violence”.
“We are ready to contribute to these goals in any way we can,” he said.
Blinken said: “When it comes to oil purchases, sanctions, etc., I just note that there are exceptions for energy purchases. Of course we encourage countries not to buy additional energy supplies from Russia.”
“Each country is located differently, has different needs and requirements, but we look to allies and partners so as not to increase their purchases of Russian energy,” Blinken said.
On oil, Jaishankar said the world should look to Europe, suggesting that Europe buys more Russian oil than India.
Blinken said President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “had a very warm and productive conversation” and “on Russia-Ukraine they talked about ways to mitigate the profound impact this is having on global food supplies and prices, commodity markets.” and work together to achieve it.”
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who also attended the event, spoke about the importance of keeping the US and India aligned.
“As strategic threats converge, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is more important than ever that ‘the US and India’ stand together to defend our shared values and maintain the international rules-based order,” Austin said. .
