India has raised significant doubts regarding the effectiveness of the UN Security Council in resolving the enduring Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has persisted for two years without a viable solution.
Ruchira Kamboj, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, posed pointed questions during a UN General Assembly plenary meeting commemorating the two-year mark since the conflict's onset on February 24, 2022.
Addressing the assembly, Kamboj queried, "Are we anywhere near a possible, acceptable solution? And if not, why is it that the UN system, particularly its principal organ, the United Nations Security Council, is mandated to primarily maintain international peace and security? Why is it rendered completely ineffective in the resolution of the ongoing conflict?"
This discourse comes in the wake of a debate held last Friday, focusing on 'The situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.'
Kamboj emphasised the urgent need for reform within outdated multilateral structures for effective multilateralism, echoing the sentiments of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who stressed during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September 2022 that this is not an "era of war."
Kamboj told the General Assembly that India continues to remain concerned over the situation in Ukraine.
“We have consistently held the position that no solution can ever come at the cost of human lives. The escalation of hostilities and violence is in no one's interest,” she said.
Spotlighting that New Delhi has urged from the outset that all efforts must be made for an early cessation of hostilities and an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy, she stressed that engaging in dialogue stands as the “sole path" to resolving conflicts and differences, no matter how insurmountable such a course may seem at present.
“The path to peace requires us to keep all channels of diplomacy open. Hence, sincere and practical engagement amongst all stakeholders can help improve understanding and reduce the gap between divergent positions,” she said, adding that all stakeholders' wholehearted participation and commitment will be critical for stable and lasting peace.
“We need to avoid steps that endanger the possibility of dialogue and negotiations,” she said.
Asserting that India's approach to the Ukraine conflict will continue to be people-centric, Kamboj highlighted that it is providing both humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic support to some of its neighbours in the Global South facing economic distress.
Kamboj further said that the international community must remain focused on the shared objectives to achieve development goals and the partnership and cooperation needed.
“As we, the member states, strive to bring the process of achieving the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) back on track and as we endeavour to forge a significant pact for the future, we should aim for more cooperation and not less,” she said.
India's top envoy to the UN added that it is “crucial” to keep faith and conviction in the power of dialogue and diplomacy, which have reliably and always served humanity's progress.
Kamboj added that focusing on alleviating the consequences of the conflict will be of lasting benefit globally, especially for the most vulnerable societies and economies.
India's G20 Presidency ensured that some of those economic pitfalls faced by developing countries were brought to the forefront of the group’s agenda, she said.
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