In what could be a stern diplomatic message for US President Donald Trump amid his tariff gamble against New Delhi, the European Union has hailed India’s role in the Ukraine ceasefire talks. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, shared on X a photo of EU leaders in a huddle talking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a phone call. In her post, Leyen said that the EU hopes to conclude the Free Trade Agreement negotiations with India by the end of this year.
EU Hails India’s Peace Initiative
Leyen said that the Russia-Ukraine war carries global security consequences and undermines economic stability and therefore, it is a risk to the entire world. “We had the pleasure of speaking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We warmly welcome India’s continued engagement with President Zelenskyy. India has an important role to play in bringing Russia to end its war of aggression and helping create a path towards peace,” said Leyen.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Prime Minister @narendramodi.
We warmly welcome India’s continued engagement with President Zelenskyy.
India has an important role to play in bringing Russia to end its war of aggression and helping create a path towards peace.
This war… pic.twitter.com/ri5Vkep6MQ
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) September 4, 2025
She further said, “Looking ahead, we plan to agree on a joint strategic agenda at the next EU–India summit, as early as possible in 2026. We also remain fully committed to concluding the Free Trade Agreement negotiations by the end of the year. To achieve this, progress is needed now.”
Also Read: Putin Calls Ukraine Conflict ‘Pretext’ For Western Sanctions, Cites Tariffs On India, China, Brazil
PM Modi Confirms Talks
Sharing details of the call with EU leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Had a very good conversation with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Reaffirmed our shared commitment for an early conclusion of the India-EU FTA and implementation of the IMEEC corridor.”
PM Modi further said that the leaders exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and efforts for bringing an early end to the conflict in Ukraine. “We agreed that our Strategic Partnership has a key role to play in fostering stability and promoting a rules-based order,” said PM Modi.
Also Read: What Putin Told PM Modi Inside His Aurus Limousine In China
Putin’s Message To Modi
Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping for their efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis. These developments are being seen as a message to US President Trump who has been claiming credit for the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire efforts to reaffirm his claim on the Nobel Peace Prize.