Why India must maintain an independent foreign policy, not succumb to pressure on Ukraine

On October 11, the G7 issued a statement on Ukraine in the wake of Russia's recent attacks which they condemned, as also the annexation by Moscow of four Ukrainian regions.

PM Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin

India continues to do tight rope walking on the Ukraine conflict in the United Nations. It abstained again on October 12 in the UN General Assembly on a resolution moved by western countries. If the conflict in Ukraine is escalating, as our Explanation of Vote (EOV) notes with deep concern, is Russia alone responsible for it, or does the blame fall on the West too?

Ukraine is pursuing military offensives against Russian ground forces and claiming successes, which then becomes an argument for it to ask for more potent weaponry from NATO countries to continue the offensive and for the latter to increasingly provide it to boost Ukrainian capacity and help Kiev to inflict more reverses on the Russian forces. The strategy is to produce a stalemate so that if and when negotiations take place Ukraine is in better bargaining position.