United States has been engaging with allies and partners around the world, including India on Russia's war against Ukraine, US Secretary of State spokesperson Ned Price said in a press briefing on Friday.
"We are engaging very closely with all of our allies and partners around the world on the question of Russia's brutal aggression against Ukraine. Of course, that includes India. The international community firmly recognizes the need to hold Russia to account for the atrocities that it has committed and its forces are committing in Ukraine," Ned Price said.
Addressing the press briefing, Ned Price said that Russia's war against Ukraine has affected countries around the world. He said that US and India share a commitment to hold rules-based international order that respects territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Ned Price said, "We have been in regular close contact with India regarding what we can do to hold Russia accountable and to impose additional costs on Russia for its war. We may not always share precisely the same policy approaches but both share a commitment to uphold a rules-based international order that respects territorial integrity and sovereignty."
He further stated, "That is at the heart of our global strategic partnership with India. It is at the heart of what we seek to do with Quad with the other bilateral and multilateral work we do with India and Indian partners." He said that the US agrees with India that the restoration of peace in Ukraine is "essential."
In the press briefing, Price said, "We agree very much with India that the restoration of enduring peace in Ukraine is essential. This is the same message that President Zelenskyy has issued during the G20." He stated that the US agrees with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that "today's era is not an era of war."
"We welcome India's support for the people of Ukraine. India has provided humanitarian assistance and calls by India for an immediate end to Russia's brutal war against Ukraine. We also very much agree with PM Modi's assertion that today's era is not an era of war. Of course, that was the comment that also echoed at the G20. We have heard that comment at the UN as well," Ned Price said.
Stressing that India might be in a position to bring peace in Ukraine, Price said, "We do believe that countries like India, countries that have a relationship with Russia and Ukraine may be in a position to help bring about dialogue and diplomacy that could one day put an end to this war."
He further said, "I say one day and I put this in the conditional because there is one country that of course has demonstrated no willingness to put an end to the brutal aggression, and that, of course, is Russia."
Ned Price said that the US continues to hold Russia to account for its war against Ukraine. He expressed confidence that countries like India might have a role to play when Russia is willing to "genuine dialogue and diplomacy" that leads to peace.
"Just as we continue to hold Russia and senior Russian decision-makers to account for this brutal war. It is ultimately our hope that as Moscow's calculus changes as it comes to recognize that this war has been and will be a strategic failure then Moscow will become more interested in genuine dialogue and genuine diplomacy that leads to just and durable peace and we are confident that countries like India at that moment may have a particular role to play and we welcome that," Ned Price said.
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