New Delhi

Embattled Ukraine has urged India to support a proposed resolution tabled at the UN General Assembly on the eve of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, asserting that New Delhi's cooperation was very important. 

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According to a Ukrainian statement, the Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office Andriy Yermak called India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval informing him about the current situation, especially about the “extremely difficult defence” of the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.

“We know that Russia is preparing certain offensive actions, and we are preparing to respond. The Russian army is very unmotivated, while Ukrainian warriors are showing extraordinary bravery and resilience. We will not stop until we liberate all our territories. We only need weapons,” Yermak said.

Yermak further said that Ukraine was seeking the broadest support, especially from countries of the Global South, for the resolution to be voted on by the UN General Assembly on February 23, according to a readout from the Ukrainian presidency.

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“Cooperation with India is very important to us. We believe that you will support our resolution, as it contains very correct wording on the inviolability of borders and territorial integrity. Our goals are transparent and clear: we do not claim a single centimetre of Russian territory, we just want to get ours back,” Yermak said.

So far, the Indian side has not revealed about the phone conversation between both officials. Contrary to the expectations of the West, India has always pursued independent policy and sided with neither side on this issue.

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New Delhi has mostly abstained on resolutions related to the Russia-Ukraine war in the UN, including in the Security Council, General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, calling for Ukraine and Russia to resolve the matter bilaterally.

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Yermak said that in the proposal Ukraine has planned a peace plan — a 10-point peace formula — providing comprehensive answers to the question of what needs to be done to end the war in a sustainable and just manner.

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“The draft resolution on support for the principles of the UN Charter, which form the basis of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, will be considered by the UN General Assembly on February 23. The document is based on such fundamental principles as the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states within internationally recognized borders,” the statement said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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