Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said India’s voice on Ukraine matters, Europe’s divergences with India on the war in Ukraine are “less large” than people believe, and Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s clear message to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war is “important.”Schallenberg met S. Jaishankar, Indian External Affairs Minister, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday.”This is the fourth time I’ve met with Minister Jaishankar since January,” Schallenberg said.It shows how intensive our relationships have become. It is important to exchange views. We are facing a situation that confronts all of us. While the war in Ukraine is being fought on European soil, it is not just a European war, and we all feel the consequences.”The Australian Foreign Minister said that he had grown up in Delhi and felt “a high degree of personal sympathy” for India, but that commonality of interests between the two countries spanned across domains, including clean energy and green technologies.He also said, “It is in Austria and Europe’s interest to put India firmly on the political map and vice versa.”Schallenberg also said, “The main topic was the war in Ukraine and its consequences… Our divergences are less large than people believe. India’s voice is important in Ukraine. “And Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public message to Putin was heard and is important.”To a question on whether the balance of power on the ground had shifted decisively in Ukraine’s favor—Ukraine has notched recent military successes—or Russia still retained the ability to launch counter-offensives, the minister said, “You can never predict. The picture in July was different. The picture now is different. But what is clear is that seven months after its invasion, Russia has not been capable of winning the upper hand. I believe the sanctions will have a full impact on the Russian economy. We deeply dislike the situation. “We want close ties with Russia but can’t sit idly by if the rule of the jungle replaces the rule of law.”At a time when Europe is gearing up for a harsh winter with energy shortages due to the war, the minister said that they were prepared.
