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Wanting to isolate Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz asked for India’s support. Photo/Current Affairs
NEW DELHI – Chancellor German Olaf Scholz says Berlin wants to create India support, or at least not block, Western efforts to isolate Russia for waging a devastating war against Ukraine .
Following his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Scholz stressed that developing countries were negatively impacted by the energy and food shortages resulting from the war. He also hopes that India will help secure essential supplies to Asia, Africa and America.
“(Russia’s war on Ukraine) violates a basic principle of what we all agree on not to change borders through the use of force,” Scholz said as quoted by The Associated Press, Saturday (25/2/2023).
Read: Chancellor of Germany: Demand for Ukrainian fighter jets is currently unreasonable
In turn, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintained his cautious approach and said India wanted the conflict to end through dialogue and diplomacy.
“India is ready to make its contribution to any peace initiative,” he added.
He has refrained from publicly criticizing Russia. Moscow is India’s main supplier of weapons, oil and other economic necessities.
After a videoconference with fellow leaders of the Group of Seven industrial powers on Friday, Scholz before leaving Berlin said: “Internationally, we are trying to make it clear that Russia stands alone in the world with its aggression towards Ukraine.”
Read: Germany Loses More Than IDR 1,621 Trillion in 2022 Related to the War in Ukraine
Meanwhile the German ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, said he understood why India was buying large amounts of oil from Russia.
“That is something the government of India decides to do and since you are getting it at a very, very low price, you know I can’t really blame the Indian government for buying it,” New Delhi Television quoted Ackermann as saying.
Germany has been pushing to diversify its economic ties as European nations try to secede from China, a German official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists.
Read: Betrayal, German Intelligence Agent Leaks US HIMARS Position on Russia
(ian)
