NEW DELHI: The Ukraine issue, along with the Indo-Pacific and EU-India ties, again figured prominently in PM Narendra Modi's bilateral meeting with his Denmark counterpart Mette Frederiksen Tuesday as Modi reiterated India's call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and adoption of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the "problem".
While Frederiksen, who received Modi at the airport, strongly condemned Russia's "unprovoked and unlawful aggression" in Modi's presence, she went a step further than German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who hosted Modi on Monday, and expressed hope before Modi that India will "influence" Russia in discussions to end the conflict. The 2 countries signed 9 agreements as the 2 countries reviewed their Green Strategic Partnership and discussed cooperation in renewable energy, especially offshore wind energy and green hydrogen. Frederiksen also joined Modi at an Indian community reception where she, while welcoming Modi, said democracies like India and Denmark needed to stand together on the Ukraine issue for the principles they believed in. "We called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and adoption of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the problem," said Modi in his media remarks. Both in Berlin and Copenhagen Modi maintained that dialogue was the only way to resolve the Ukrain issue even as Scholz and Frederiksen used their meetings with Modi to attack Russia. Frederiksen also said in her remarks she and Modi condemned the killings in Bucha and supported an independent probe into it.
"The two PMs expressed their serious concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. They unequivocally condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine. They reiterated the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities. They emphasized that the contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and the territorial integrity of states. They discussed the destabilizing effect of the conflict in Ukraine and its broader regional and global implications," said a joint statement.
Modi also expressed hope that negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement will be concluded as soon as possible. "We stressed on ensuring a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region," he said.
The two leaders also recalled the India-EU Connectivity Partnership and agreed to support efforts towards its early implementation, according to the joint statement. One of the agreements signed will facilitate establishment of a centre of excellence on Green Shipping.
On the climate issue, the leaders welcomed the international agreement at COP26 on the need for accelerated climate action for "holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degree above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degree above pre-industrial level".
"The two sides confirmed the aspirations – through the Green Strategic Partnership - to take global leadership in pushing for ambitious green energy transition and demonstrate the pathways to achieving it, focusing both on energy efficiency and renewable energy," said the joint statement.
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