France Wants India To Put Pressure On Russia To End Ukraine War. Where Does New Delhi Stand?

Last Updated:June 05, 2025, 19:33 IST

France's Emmanuel Macron called on India, China and Brazil to pressure Russia into ending the current war in Ukraine. India has repeatedly advocated for dialogue and diplomacy.

PM Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. (PTI Photo)

French President Emmanuel Macron, in a joint statement with his Brazilian counterpart Lula da Silva in Paris, called for India, Brazil and China to pressure Russia into ending the current war in Ukraine, emphasising the need for a clear and direct approach to halt the conflict.

“Americans, Brazilians, Chinese, Indians, we must all put pressure on Russia to end this war so that this conflict can be negotiated and the war does not return," Macron said in his appeal to the international community.

Macron accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of starting the war and of not wanting a ceasefire, while highlighting that a ceasefire proposal by the United States was accepted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Where Does India Stand On Russia-Ukraine War?

India has adopted a position advocating for peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, emphasising that dialogue and diplomacy among all parties are the key to achieving a definitive end to the hostilities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India has never been neutral but firmly stands for peace.

India has a strategic partnership with Russia that dates back to Indo-Soviet relations, and India heavily relies on Russian military exports for its defence needs. Since the invasion in 2022, India has not publicly condemned Russia despite Western pressure, although it has criticised some controversial statements made by Russian leaders or catastrophic strikes in Ukraine.

After Western sanctions were imposed on Russia following the war, India’s oil imports from Russia more than doubled at lowered prices. According to Reuters, India had already received 34 million barrels of oil from Russia when the war broke out in 2022, in comparison to 16 million barrels in all of 2021.

PM Modi is among only a handful of world leaders who visited both Russia and Ukraine last year. He was the first Indian leader to visit war-torn Ukraine since 1991. Modi reaffirmed India’s stance emphasising dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward, urging both sides to hold talks.

Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Talks

Amid widespread bombings from both sides, Russian and Ukrainian leaders held the second round of US-brokered talks in Turkey this week, agreeing to a prisoner exchange. However, Russia refused to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, while demanding international recognition of Crimea, Donbass, Kherson, and Zaporozhye as Russian territory.

Putin on Wednesday appeared to rule out any full ceasefire in Ukraine, saying Kyiv would use any pause in fighting to rearm. He also accused Ukraine of carrying out “terrorist" attacks on bridges near the border over the weekend, as per reports.

During a phone call with US President Donald Trump, Putin said Moscow felt compelled to respond to Ukraine’s weekend drone attacks on Russian airfields, indicating that the war is unlikely to see an end in the near future.

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

Read More

Location :

Paris, France

First Published:

News world France Wants India To Put Pressure On Russia To End Ukraine War. Where Does New Delhi Stand?