Amid Russia-Ukraine crisis, PM Modi to participate in Quad Leaders' virtual meet with Joe Biden, Scott Morrison and Fumio Kishida

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today (March 3, 2022) participate in the Quad Leaders' virtual meet with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida.

"The Leaders will have an opportunity to continue their dialogue after the September 2021 Summit in Washington DC. They will exchange views and assessments about important developments in the Indo-Pacific," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"The Quad Leaders will also review ongoing efforts to implement the Leaders’ initiatives announced as part of the Quad's contemporary and positive agenda," the statement added.

The four leaders had last met on September 24, 2021, during their first in-person meeting of the Quad and had spoken on Indo-Pacific, Covid-19 response, among other topics. 

Here are glimpses from the Quad leaders meeting. The discussions with @POTUS @JoeBiden, PM @ScottMorrisonMP and PM @sugawitter were extensive and productive. pic.twitter.com/cNedF0XRz6

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 24, 2021

The meeting comes amid Russia's attack on Ukraine.

India, notably, is the only country among these four nations that has declined to condemn the invasion by its old friend Russia. It, however, has called for an end to the violence.

Meanwhile, the war between Russia and Ukraine has entered the eighth day after Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a military operation on February 24.

Earlier on Wednesday, in a resolution backed by 141 of its 193 members, the United Nations General Assembly deplored in the strongest terms Russia's aggression in Ukraine and reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. It also demanded that Russia immediately cease its use of force and "completely and unconditionally" withdraw all its troops.

Five countries -- Russia, Belarus, Eritrea, North Korea, and Syria -- voted against the resolution, and 35 abstained including India, Pakistan and China abstained.

 

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