KEY HIGHLIGHTSIndia has called for immediate de-escalation of the situation in UkraineIndia has so far abstained from voting on two UNSC resolutions on the Russian aggression in UkraineRussia had invaded Ukraine last weekWashington: India had on Monday abstained for a second time in the last few days on a United Nations Security Council resolution aimed at calling a rare emergency special session of the UN General Assembly on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. The Indian envoy to the UN stated that the only choice was to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue in order to resolve the ongoing Ukraine crisis. The United States Tuesday commented on the Indian move and said it was in regular consultations with New Delhi on the matter. US State Department spokesperson Ned Price told a press briefing: “We have a very close relationship with India and have regular engagements with our Indian partners. We have regular engagements with our Emirati partners. We have regular engagement with our European allies and our European partners. So, at every level in multiple fora, we have had discussions about this.”India had last Friday also abstained from voting on a key UNSC resolution to condemn the Russian aggression in Ukraine. While New Delhi has restrained itself from picking sides in the current conflict, it, however, has repeatedly called for immediate de-escalation and advocated the need to choose the path of diplomacy.”India’s deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine. We urge that all efforts are made for the immediate cessation of violence and hostilities,” said India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, TS Tirumurti, had stated at a UNSC meeting on Ukraine. Tirumurti had added that no solution can ever be arrived at, at the cost of human lives. Related NewsIndia abstains from UNSC procedural vote to call for General Assembly session on UkraineIndia abstains on UN resolution deploring Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, says dialogue only answerDuring yesterday’s voting in the UNSC, India, China and the UAE abstained while Russia voted against the resolution. The remaining 11 Council members – Albania, Brazil, France, Gabon, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, United Kingdom and the United States – cast their votes in favour of the resolution. Since the voting was procedural, none of the five permanent UNSC members – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US – could veto the move. The Council adopted the resolution and paved the way for the UN General Assembly to convene to discuss the growing Ukraine crisis. Tirumurti said while explaining India’s vote that the situation in Ukraine had deteriorated further since the UNSC last met on the matter, calling it “regrettable”.Related NewsWhy India abstained from UN vote against Russia on Ukraine