European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asserted that India has a crucial role to play in pressing Russia to end its war in Ukraine and shaping a path towards peace.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ursula von der Leyen said, “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."

Calling the Ukraine conflict a threat beyond Europe, she added, “This war carries global security consequences and undermines economic stability. So it is a risk to the entire world."

The EU chief also underlined the bloc’s commitment to strengthening ties with New Delhi. She announced plans to agree on a joint strategic agenda at the next EU–India summit in 2026 and reiterated Brussels’ push to conclude a Free Trade Agreement with India by the end of 2025.

“To achieve this, progress is needed now," she said, signalling urgency in advancing talks on market access, tariffs and regulatory standards that have been under negotiation for years.

The call comes as US President Donald Trump has launched a sweeping tariff offensive against India, imposing a 25% reciprocal duty on Indian goods along with an additional 25% levy linked to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil- among the steepest in the world.

He has accused India of “fueling Russia’s deadly attacks on Ukraine" by buying discounted crude, even as Washington has stopped short of harsher sanctions on Moscow. Earlier, Donald Trump said that he dismissed India’s offer to slash tariffs on US goods as “too late," calling the relationship a “one-sided disaster" that unfairly benefits New Delhi.

Source: News18