In an upcoming meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, Rishi Sunak plans to advocate for a stronger approach towards Russia, as announced by Downing Street.
The meeting between the two prime ministers is scheduled to take place ahead of the G20 summit in the Indian capital, where the Russian invasion of Ukraine will be a significant topic of discussion, even in the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed his decision to skip the summit just a week ago.
During their meeting, Sunak and Modi will engage in discussions covering various subjects, including the possibility of a free trade agreement. Downing Street has hinted that the British Prime Minister intends to broach the topic of India’s relationship with Moscow, especially considering India’s continued imports of Russian oil and weapons.
Sunak expressed his perspective on Putin’s absence from the G20, stating, “Once again, Vladimir Putin is failing to show his face at the G20. He is the architect of his own diplomatic exile, isolating himself in his presidential palace and blocking out criticism and reality. The rest of the G20, meanwhile, are demonstrating that we will turn up and work together to pick up the pieces of Putin’s destruction.”
A spokesperson from Downing Street added, “India, of course, has a vital role to play, as the world’s largest democracy, in calling out Russia’s assault on human rights and indeed democracy itself. We will use meetings with Modi or elsewhere to encourage them to use their influence to bring an end to the brutal invasion.”
Sunak aims to leverage the summit as an opportunity to convince global leaders to condemn Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain initiative. This initiative, brokered between Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey last summer, permitted Ukrainian food supplies to be exported. Russia’s decision to exit the agreement, citing Western countries’ failure to honor export commitments, has contributed to Sunak’s argument that this move has exacerbated global inflation and adversely affected the world’s most vulnerable populations.
Moreover, Prime Minister Boris Johnson engaged in a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday. Downing Street disclosed that “The prime minister committed to galvanize work with G20 countries on circumventing Russia’s blockade and ensuring vulnerable countries can access vital grain shipments.”
As the G20 summit approaches, Rishi Sunak’s diplomatic efforts underscore the importance of addressing critical international issues, with a focus on Russia’s actions and their global repercussions.
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