PARIS
\nIndia and France on Wednesday called for \u201can immediate cessation of hostilities\u201d in Ukraine, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi again stopping short of condemning Russia\u2019s invasion of its neighbour.
\nAccording to Dawn.com, \u201cFrance and India expressed their deep concern over the humanitarian crisis and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine,\u201d Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron said in a joint statement after they met in Paris for talks and a working dinner.
\n\u201cBoth countries unequivocally condemned the fact that civilians have been killed in Ukraine, and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in order for the two sides to come together to promote dialogue and diplomacy, and to put an immediate end to the suffering of the people.\u201d
\nIndia, which imports much of its military hardware from Russia, has long walked a diplomatic tightrope between the West and Moscow notably refusing to denounce the latter or vote against it at the United Nations over its actions in Ukraine.
\nHowever, only France condemned \u201cRussian forces\u2019 illegal and unjustified aggression against Ukraine\u201d.
\nThe two countries said they would \u201crespond in a coordinated and multilateral way\u201d to the risk the conflict would intensify a global food crisis, with Ukraine one of the world\u2019s main wheat producers.
\nAhead of the meeting, Macron\u2019s office had said he would \u201cemphasise the consequences of the war for the international order well beyond the European Union, including in Asia\u201d to Modi.
\nFrance wants to \u201chelp the Indians diversify their supply\u201d away from Russian arms and energy, officials added.
\nThe aim, they said, \u201cis not to leave the Indians with no way out, but to offer solutions\u201d.
\nModi, who is on a tour to Europe, told reporters after meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Monday that \u201cthere won\u2019t be any winners in this war and everyone will lose.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PARIS India and France on Wednesday called for \u201can immediate cessation of hostilities\u201d in Ukraine, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi again stopping short of condemning Russia\u2019s invasion of its neighbour. According to Dawn.com, \u201cFrance and India expressed their deep concern over the humanitarian crisis and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine,\u201d Modi and French President […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":258753,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-258723","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n