Editor's Pick: India stands firm on dialogue as the way forward to resolve conflict

India has “every reason” to contribute in resolving the Ukrainian conflict, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Sunday. Addressing a special briefing on the crisis and its humanitarian dimensions, Mr. Shringla said India believed dialogue between the warring sides was the only way ahead. “We have been engaged with all parties. Our Prime Minister has spoken with the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine. The External Affairs Minister has been in touch with a very wide range of interlocutors who are involved in the situation. We are essentially a country that has direct interest in the region. We have friends and equities in the area,” Mr. Shringla said in response to a question from The Hindu. Mr. Shringla’s response was part of several similar comments from a number of global capitals that sought ceasefire in the conflict that erupted on February 23 with the Russian invasion. Later in the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting, which was attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and top officials. Mr. Shringla’s comments are significant in the backdrop of the news of possible negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. On the fourth day of the Russian invasion on Sunday, the Ukrainian President’s office indicated that negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow would be held on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was willing to “try” talks with Russia but was sceptical. The report is the lead in the newspaper as India’s position on the conflict has come into sharp focus after it abstained from supporting a UN Security Council resolution to condemn Russian aggression on Ukraine, though the move was a foregone conclusion. As an editorial in the newspaper has pointed out, if the Russian military operation in Ukraine is prolonged, and the Government’s ambivalence is read as active support for aggressive transgressions by a powerful neighbour over a weaker one, the position that India has taken will sit rather uncomfortably with its protests in its own neighbourhood. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor‘s Pick and more. Click here The Hindu’s Editorials A testing vote: On India’s UNSC stand on Ukraine No quick fix: On the state of medical education in India The Hindu’s Daily Quiz What is the operation to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine being called? Operation Maitri Operation Shakti Operation Ganga Operation Devi To find out the answer and play the full quiz, click here [logo] Editor's Pick 28 FEBRUARY 2022 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( India stands firm on dialogue as the way forward to resolve conflict [India has “every reason” to contribute in resolving the Ukrainian conflict]( Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Sunday.  Addressing a special briefing on the crisis and its humanitarian dimensions, Mr. Shringla said India believed dialogue between the warring sides was the only way ahead. “We have been engaged with all parties. Our Prime Minister has spoken with the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine. The External Affairs Minister has been in touch with a very wide range of interlocutors who are involved in the situation. We are essentially a country that has direct interest in the region. We have friends and equities in the area,” Mr. Shringla said in response to a question from The Hindu. Mr. Shringla’s response was part of several similar comments from a number of global capitals that sought ceasefire in the conflict that erupted on February 23 with the [Russian invasion.]( Later in the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting, which was attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and top officials. Mr. Shringla’s comments are significant in the backdrop of the news of possible negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. On the fourth day of the Russian invasion on Sunday, the Ukrainian President’s office  indicated that [negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow]( would be held on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was willing to “try” talks with Russia but was sceptical. The report is the lead in the newspaper as India’s position on the conflict has come into sharp focus after it abstained from supporting a UN Security Council resolution to condemn Russian aggression on Ukraine, though the move was a foregone conclusion. As an [editorial]( the newspaper has pointed out, if the Russian military operation in Ukraine is prolonged, and the Government’s ambivalence is read as active support for aggressive transgressions by a powerful neighbour over a weaker one, the position that India has taken will sit rather uncomfortably with its protests in its own neighbourhood. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor‘s Pick and more.  [Click here]( The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][A testing vote: On India’s UNSC stand on Ukraine]( [Arrow][No quick fix: On the state of medical education in India]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz What is the operation to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine being called? - Operation Maitri - Operation Shakti - Operation Ganga - Operation Devi To find out the answer and play the full quiz, [click here]( Today's Best Reads [[Ground report | Ukrainian refugees in Poland speak of wanting to fight, conflicted loyalties] Ground report | Ukrainian refugees in Poland speak of wanting to fight, conflicted loyalties]( [[National Science Day: Of C.V. Raman the botanist, and a palette of floral hues] National Science Day: Of C.V. 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