Amid Russia-Ukraine crisis, Quad leaders to meet virtually

New Delhi, March 3 (IANS): Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the Quad leaders will hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss the developments in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Ministry of External Affairs said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate along with the US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ina Quad Leaders’ virtual meeting.

The four countries have an informal alliance called the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, that positions itself as being committed to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

“The Leaders will have an opportunity to continue their dialogue after the September 2021 Summit in Washington DC,” the ministry said.

They will exchange views and assessments about the important developments in the Indo-Pacific.

The Quad leaders will also review the ongoing efforts to implement the Leaders’ initiatives announced as part of the Quad’s contemporary and positive agenda.

The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered the eighth day after Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a military operation.

In the meantime, in a resolution, backed by 141 of its 193 members, the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday deplored in the strongest terms Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and 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.

India had abstained from the vote on the resolution titled ‘On aggression against Ukraine’.