Quad leaders discuss Ukraine; sends message to China

The Quad leaders met Thursday virtually to discuss the Ukraine crisis with the Indian PM reiterating the importance of adhering to the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Developments in Ukraine were discussed in the meeting, including its humanitarian implications, according to a PMO release. Modi emphasised the need to return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy in keeping with India’s traditional approach on the issue.

“I met with my fellow Quad leaders Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio about Russia’s ongoing attack on Ukraine and our commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific,” US President Joe Biden tweeted following the Quad meet.


Leaders of the Quad grouping of countries -- the United States, India, Australia and Japan -- agreed on Thursday that what's happening to Ukraine should not be allowed to happen in the Indo-Pacific, Reuters reported quoting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

"We've agreed that unilateral changes to the status quo with force like this should not be allowed in the Indo-Pacific region," Kishida said, referring to Russia's actions in Ukraine.

"We've also agreed this development makes it even more important to work toward realising a free and open Indo-Pacific," Kishida told reporters.

“Today the Quad Leaders – Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, and President Joe Biden of the United States – convened to reaffirm their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected and countries are free from military, economic, and political coercion. They reaffirmed their dedication to the Quad as a mechanism to promote regional stability and prosperity,” according to a joint readout released after the Summit in what could be viewed as a veiled message to China’s aggression in the region.

“The Quad leaders discussed the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and assessed its broader implications. They agreed to stand up a new humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanism which will enable the Quad to meet future humanitarian challenges in the Indo-Pacific and provide a channel for communication as they each address and respond to the crisis in Ukraine,” according to the joint readout.

The PMO release stated, “The meeting reviewed the progress on Quad initiatives since the September 2021 Quad Summit. The leaders agreed on accelerating cooperation, with an objective to achieve concrete outcomes by the summit in Japan later this year.”

Modi underlined that the Quad must remain focused on its core objective of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. He called for concrete and practical forms of cooperation within the Quad, in areas like Humanitarian and Disaster Relief, debt sustainability, supply chains, clean energy, connectivity, and capacity-building.

The leaders also discussed other topical issues, including the situation in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the Pacific Islands. The leaders agreed to stay in touch and to work towards an ambitious agenda for the forthcoming Leaders’ Summit in Japan.