US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti addresses the gathering during an event, in Kolkata.
Credit: PTI Photo
Kolkata: US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, on Friday asserted that India, which has strong ties with both Russia and Ukraine, can play a "great role" in resolving the conflict between the two countries, but maintained that "it is for the world's largest democracy to decide on the matter".
Welcoming India's increasing role in international relations and lauding its Navy's daring seizure of cargo ships hijacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean, the US ambassador said it was also doing great work in empowerment of the global south.
"We welcome any role that India will seek to play to bring greater resolution to any wars in our world," he said.
"Incredibly strong relations India has had with both Ukraine and Russia in the past and so they (India) could play a great role," he said.
Stating that it is for India to decide on the issue, he said, "We welcome any nation that will stand against unwarranted invasion that impedes the sovereignty of the borders of another country and causes great suffering to civilians who are innocent." Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia on July 8 and 9 and held a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Stating that the United States has been quite clear about its concerns regarding India's relationship with Russia, the US State Department had thereafter said that Washington urges "India to support efforts to realise an enduring and just peace in Ukraine".
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an education meet in Kolkata, Garcetti said that the most basic principle in international relations is the sovereignty of borders.
"We have supported India on her borders and that's the same reason that (in) this unprovoked war against the Ukrainian people we have taken such a strong stand," he said.
The ambassador maintained that he was misinterpreted last time when he spoke on India's Northeast in July last year, where Manipur has been witnessing disturbances.
"I said first and foremost as human beings, when we see suffering anywhere, whether it's in the United States, whether in India or in a third country, our hearts break whenever we see human suffering," Garcetti said.
He reiterated that this is an Indian issue for India and Indians to resolve and not the United States.
"We love the Northeast and if called upon by the Indian government as we do on health, as we do on economic development, youth empowerment, in the Northeast we stand ready to assist on any (of these issues)," he said.