India ready to help end Russia-Ukraine war, says Jaishankar in Kyiv

Ukraine expects a "new dynamic" in diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war as international engagement resumes, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Thursday during a meeting with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Kyiv.Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar (Photo: X/@DrSJaishankar)India is ready to contribute in any way possible to efforts to end the war in Ukraine, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday during his visit to Kyiv.“If India can be of any help, in any manner, we are there,” Jaishankar told reporters alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.The two ministers also discussed attacks on commercial shipping, which Jaishankar said featured prominently in their talks.Sybiha said he believed there would now be a “new dynamic” in efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, with active political and diplomatic engagement resuming in capitals around the world. “I believe that we will now have a new dynamic in the peace efforts, with the return of this active phase of political and diplomatic engagement in many capitals around the world,” Sybiha told reporters in Kyiv.His remarks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin said there was a chance of reaching a peace agreement to end the war, although he acknowledged that restarting negotiations had become more difficult. “Is there a chance? In my view, yes, there is,” Putin said at an economic forum in Russia’s Far East. He said several countries, including the United States and China, were ready to support a peace settlement.Putin, however, said the ultimate responsibility for resolving the conflict lay with Russia and Ukraine.“Ultimately, however, the problem must be resolved by the countries involved in the conflict — Russia and Ukraine,” he said, adding that Moscow was grateful to those trying to contribute to a settlement.The Russian president also accused Ukraine of attacking civilian merchant ships and issuing warnings about the safety of civilian aircraft flying over Russian airspace. He described these as “acts of state terrorism” and said they complicated the prospects for bilateral peace talks.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week warned airlines and insurance companies that the presence of Ukrainian drones had made Russian skies dangerous. He said Ukraine would target only Russian military facilities and would not threaten civilian aircraft.Ukraine on Wednesday also urged the UN aviation agency to ask member states to ban operations in Russian airspace. Ukraine’s own airspace has remained closed to international civil aviation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.After four-and-a-half years of war, the front line has remained largely static, while direct peace talks have not taken place since February. Both sides have stepped up long-range air strikes deep inside each other’s territory, while the conflict at sea has also intensified, with attacks involving ports and commercial shipping.Putin said Russia was continuing contacts with the administration of US President Donald Trump, which has sought to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv.“We favour restoring full-scale relations with the United States,” Putin said, adding that the outcome would also depend on Washington. He said he believed Trump remained committed to “positive, constructive engagement.According to Putin, contacts between Russia and the United States were continuing through intelligence agencies and Trump’s envoys. CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Russian intelligence chiefs in Moscow last week, although neither side has disclosed what was discussed.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersPublished By: Priyanka KumariPublished On: Sep 3, 2026 15:46 IST