Put pressure on Russia for peace, Modi urged

dpa Copenhagen Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen took advantage of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Copenhagen on Tuesday to urge him t...

dpaCopenhagenDanish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen took advantage of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Copenhagen on Tuesday to urge him to use what influence he has to bring about an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.She said Russian President Vladimir Putin must stop the war and the killing, adding that she hoped that India would do what it can.“My message is very clear: Putin has got to stop this war and to end the killings,” she said. “I, of course, hope that India will influence Russia also in this discussion.” “We appeal for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and for the adoption of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the problem,” Modi said.Ahead of Modi’s three-nation EU tour, many forecast the war would be a difficult topic, as New Delhi previously refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and sign up to sanctions on Russia.Modi and Frederiksen also signed a series of memoranda of understanding and agreements, during the first visit of an Indian head of government to Denmark in 20 years.The two nations entered a partnership in 2020 concerning India’s switch to renewables. “We are moving fast in transforming our green strategic partnership into some concrete results,” Frederiksen said on Tuesday.“The Indian government has high ambitions for the green transition and for making India more independent of fossil fuels. I am very proud that Danish solutions are playing a key role in realising these important ambitions,” she said. Russia’s war on Ukraine shows how the green energy transition is central to both climate and security, her office said earlier.India has maintained a neutral stance during the Ukraine war, abstaining from resolutions in the UN Security Council as well as failing to join Western sanctions on Russia. India has also been buying greater quantities of low priced Russian oil.New Delhi has long maintained good relations with Russia and is heavily dependent on Moscow for military equipment and spare parts.However, India also maintains good relations with the West and recently strengthened its cooperation with the US, for example.Modi’s Denmark trip came a day after he took part in German-Indian government consultations in Berlin, where German Chancellor Olaf Scholz underlined India’s importance in the climate protection.During his visit, Modi is due to attend an Indian-Nordic mini-summit on Wednesday, which the prime ministers of Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland are due to attend, along with Frederiksen.