3 min readNew DelhiApr 18, 2026 05:35 AM IST
UKRAINE’S NSA Rustem Umerov met NSA Ajit Doval in New Delhi on Friday, where the latter conveyed India’s “principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy”.
This has been Delhi’s position for the past four years of the war between Russia and Ukraine, and has been articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visits to Russia and Ukraine in the past.
Umerov and Doval reviewed bilateral relations and discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. “NSA reiterated India’s principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through
dialogue and diplomacy,” the Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
Umerov said, “We discussed the development of bilateral relations and the assessment of the security situation. The Indian side reaffirmed its consistent position on the need for a peaceful settlement based on dialogue and diplomacy.”
“I am grateful for the shared understanding of the need to find solutions that will ensure a lasting peace,” he said.
Jaishankar, who also met Umerov, posted on X, “Glad to meet @rustem_umerov, Secretary of the National Security & Defence Council of Ukraine today. Discussed our bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict.”
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About the meeting with Jaishankar, the Ukrainian NSA said, “We discussed the current situation on the front line, the progress of negotiations, and the prospects for achieving a just, lasting, and sustainable peace for Ukraine.”
Diplomatic Tightrope
While Delhi has walked the diplomatic tightrope between Russia and Ukraine, it has been perceived to be closer to Moscow because of its traditional ties. India has bought energy from Russia and has engaged with Putin. But Ukraine has also been reaching out to India, and PM Modi also travelled to Kyiv and has been in touch with Zelenskyy. Ukraine NSA’s engagement with Indian interlocutors is part of the ongoing diplomacy.
“We also focused on the development of bilateral cooperation and the implementation of agreements outlined in the Joint Statement of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, following his visit to Ukraine in August 2024,” he said.
“I am grateful for the open and substantive dialogue. We look forward to further strengthening bilateral cooperation,” he said.
