Russia-Ukraine conflict will have no winning side: India tells UNSC

United Nations: Indian on Thursday told UN Security Council how important it was to evacuate innocent civilians caught in the raging war in Ukraine.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador T S Tirumurti said India was on the side of peace, adding there would no winning side to the ongoing conflict.

T S Tirumurti stressed again India's consistent call for cessation of hostilities suggesting instead the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

He said the conflict resulted in loss of lives and miseries of people including women, children and elderly with millions turned out on the streets, taking shelters in neigbouring countries.

Tirumurti reminded the UN body of India's strong condemnation of civilian killing in Ukraine's' Bucha as well as its call for independent probe.

Briefing on his visit to Russia and Ukraine as well as his meeting with President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he did not mince words during the visit.

He said he had done saying the same thing in Moscow and Kyiv that Russian invasion of Ukraine was a violation of its territorial integrity and of the Charter of the United Nations.

The UN chief informed the Council of humanitarian operation being carried out by UN and Red Cross, which he said was complex both politically and in terms of security.

The humanitarian operation began on April 29 and required enormous coordination and advocacy with Russian and Ukrainian authorities, he reportedly said.

India welcomed Guterres' visit to Russia and Ukraine as well as his interaction with the presidents of both nations.

Tirumurti highlighted the concern of the conflict having a destabilising effect with broader regional and global implications.

At news conference on Wednesday, World Food Programme's Chief Economist Arif Husain said the agency was discussing with India procurement of wheat as nations face food security challenges.

With inputs from PTI