French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed on Tuesday August 16 to "
work together to bring the conflict to an end
" in Ukraine, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.
The two leaders exchanged by telephone about "
the war led by Russia in Ukraine and its destabilizing consequences for the rest of the world
", according to the French presidency.
Emmanuel Macron, who had received the Indian Prime Minister in May in Paris, underlined the "
determination of France to continue its support for Ukraine
".
India has refrained from openly condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and from joining in the votes to that effect at the UN.
In June, she nevertheless co-signed a G7 declaration committing to “
respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of other States
”.
Faced with the food crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine, the French president also reaffirmed “
the importance for the international community to act in a coordinated manner
”.
The two leaders also spoke of the “
challenges in the Indo-Pacific space as well as the situation in Sri Lanka
”.
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A Chinese research vessel docked at the Chinese-run Sri Lankan port of Hambantota on Tuesday, despite concerns from India and the United States that China may be engaging in espionage activities.
India is concerned about China's growing influence in Sri Lanka, which has fallen heavily into debt over the years with Beijing to develop major infrastructure projects.
