India crucial for ending Ukraine war, peace efforts: EU leaders

Just days after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a phone conversation with European Union leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, who underscored India’s crucial role in seeking an end to the war in Ukraine.“India has an important role to play in bringing Russia to end its war of aggression and helping create a path towards peace,” von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said in a post on X after the joint call with Costa, president of the European Council.

#WATCH | President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen tweets, "We had the pleasure of speaking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We warmly welcome India’s continued engagement with President Zelenskyy. India has an important role to play in bringing Russia to end… pic.twitter.com/6kkTE5evem

— ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2025

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi,PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy, stressing the need for a peaceful resolution and the early restoration of stability.The conversation came even as EU leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy convened a meeting of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ to discuss ways to intensify pressure on Russia for cessation of hostilities.On September 1, Modi had met Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, northern China, where he pressed for an expedited ceasefire and a durable settlement. “Ways must be found to bring the conflict to a swift end and to secure peace. This is the call of all humanity,” Modi told the Russian president, as per the MEA.
Ahead of that meeting, Zelenskyy had noted that PM Modi appeared prepared to deliver an “appropriate signal” to Putin, raising Kyiv’s expectations of India’s intervention for a ceasefire. “We warmly welcome India’s continued engagement with President Zelenskyy,” von der Leyen added, cautioning that the war threatened global security and economic stability.The talks also touched upon economic relations, with Modi and the EU leaders reaffirming their commitment to conclude negotiations on the long-pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by year-end. “Looking ahead, we plan to agree on a joint strategic agenda at the next EU–India summit, as early as possible in 2026. To achieve this, progress is needed now,” von der Leyen wrote on X.
Both sides welcomed advancements in cooperation across trade, technology, investment, defence, sustainability, and supply chain resilience. They also reviewed the early implementation of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor, a key connectivity initiative.The leaders agreed to convene the next India-EU Summit in India at a mutually convenient date, with Modi extending an invitation to von der Leyen and Costa.Meanwhile, the backdrop of the call was marked by growing trade tensions, as U.S. President Donald Trump recently announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports, citing New Delhi’s continued energy imports from Russia despite Western sanctions.