German foreign minister urges India to press Russia to return to Ukraine peace talks

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday urged India to press its close ally Russia to return to peace talks over the war in Ukraine, saying Moscow has so far been unwilling to enter negotiations despite extensive efforts by Europe and the United States.

Wadephul made the appeal at a news conference in New Delhi during a two-day visit, telling reporters that "the only demand is that weapons fall silent" and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shown an intention to pursue a settlement.

"We Europeans are doing our best, working with our American and Ukrainian friends to ensure that this war ends soon and that Ukraine finds peace as a sovereign state," Wadephul said, according to an Associated Press account of the remarks. He said Russia’s reluctance to return to talks presents a diplomatic challenge that New Delhi could help address.

The appeal came days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin at a regional summit in China. Europe has increasingly looked to India to use its close ties with Moscow to encourage a negotiated end to the fighting, even as New Delhi seeks to balance its relationships with Russia and Western countries.

Wadephul’s remarks reflected growing Western hopes that India might play a mediating role, though he stopped short of outlining specific steps New Delhi should take. He framed the request in narrow terms — urging an end to hostilities and a return to dialogue — and underscored ongoing cooperation between European, American and Ukrainian partners in pursuing a peaceful resolution.

India has maintained diplomatic engagement with Moscow throughout the conflict, and Modi’s recent meeting with Putin underscored New Delhi’s continuing communication with Russian leadership. Wadephul’s visit and public appeal signal the extent to which European officials view India as a potentially influential interlocutor in efforts to restart diplomacy on the Ukraine crisis.

The German minister did not provide a timetable for possible talks or detail any proposed framework for negotiations. His comments follow months of international efforts to press for negotiations while Kyiv has continued to insist on restoring its territorial sovereignty and Moscow has shown limited public willingness to engage in comprehensive peace talks.