German envoy praises PM Modi for anti-war message

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “clear” message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that “today’s era is not of war” resonated widely in Europe in a very positive way, German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann said on Sunday while complimenting India’s call for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. In an exclusive interview to PTI, the envoy said there has been a “certain shift” in India’s position on the war in Ukraine as he referred to the Indian statement on the UN resolution against Moscow’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions. Ackermann said Germany would not “blame” the Indian side for buying crude oil from Russia, but what it expects is a clear positioning saying international laws must be adhered to. Asked about Prime Minister Modi’s message to Putin to end the war, Ackermann said, “It is a sentence that has resonated widely, widely in the region in a very positive way.” “It is a very beautiful phrase. The whole world was listening to it. I think it was a very very clear, very loud sentence that I cannot underline how much I agreed with Prime Minister Modi. So we were very pleased to hear the sentence,” he said. Ackermann also noted India’s statement at the UN during the discussion on a resolution on the Russian annexation of four Ukrainian regions though New Delhi abstained from voting on it. “There are certainly some disagreements on some issues. I would say that in the last couple of months if you read carefully the Indian statements on the matter, you will see a certain shift in the Indian position,” he said. s“We read carefully what the Indian representative to the United Nations said during the vote on the resolution on the annexation.