EAM Jaishankar, EU's Kallas discuss bilateral cooperation, West Asia
Nicosia, May 28
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas and held discussions on bilateral ties, along with taking a stock of the situation in West Asia.
Sharing the highlights from their interaction in a post on X, EU Ambassador to India, Herve Delphin, noted that the interaction reflects the close ties between New Delhi and Brussels.
"EAM @DrSJaishankar attending today the EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Cyprus at the invitation of HRVP @kajakallas & Cyprus FM @ckombos. Good bilat exchange yest' HRVP/EAM. Situation in the Middle-East and India-EU cooperation on global issues on the agenda. Underlines our close ties."
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha as he arrived in Cyprus to participate in the 'Gymnich' informal meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers.
In a post on X, Jaishankar shared that he exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict with the Ukrainian counterpart and discussed bilateral cooperation.
"A useful meeting with FM Andrii Sybiha of Ukraine. Exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict. Also discussed our bilateral cooperation," he said.
He also met with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and discussed the West Asia conflict.
"A good meeting with FM Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia. Appreciate his assessments and insights on the evolving situation in West Asia/Middle East," he said.
Jaishankar arrived in Cyprus to participate in the Informal Meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers- Gymnich at the invitation of EU HRVP Kaja Kallas and Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos.
The Gymnich meeting of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union by Cyprus is co-chaired by Dr Constantinos Kombos, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, and Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.During the meeting, Ministers will discuss current and regional issues.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good move by India to engage with EU on West Asia issues. But let's not forget our own strategic interests - the EU needs Indian support as much as we need theirs. Hope this isn't just photo ops and actual outcomes emerge. 🇮🇳
Why is India always discussing conflicts abroad when our own borders are unstable? China and Pakistan remain a threat. Jaishankar should prioritize that over Cyprus meetings. This feels like global grandstanding without domestic benefit. 😒
Good that Ukraine and Middle East are being discussed - India can play a peacemaker role. But we need to be careful not to get dragged into EU or US agendas. Our non-alignment stance has served us well for decades. Keep it balanced, EAM ji. 🙏
Finally some proactive diplomacy from India! The Gymnich meeting is a good platform. But I'm skeptical about outcome - EU often talks big but delivers little. Let's see if this leads to concrete deals on trade or just more statements. 👀
India stepping up on global stage is commendable. But I hope our government remembers that EU's stance on Kashmir has been critical. This meeting shouldn't be used as an opportunity for EU to lecture us. Bilateral must be on equal footing. 🧐
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.