EAM Jaishankar holds key talks with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on UNGA sidelines 

Jaishankar meets Russia’s Sergey Lavrov, discusses Ukraine conflict and Middle East

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) in New York.

The Russian Embassy in India confirmed the meeting on X, stating, “Russia Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and EAM Dr S Jaishankar hold a meeting on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.”

Following the meeting, Jaishankar tweeted, “Good conversation with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia on the sidelines of #UNGA80. Useful discussion on bilateral ties, the Ukraine conflict and developments in the Middle East."

Good conversation with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia on the sidelines of #UNGA80.

Useful discussion on bilateral ties, the Ukraine conflict and developments in the Middle East.

🇮🇳 🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/XkwTLjJjLP

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 26, 2025

He also cautioned Indians against joining the Russian forces, noting, “We once again strongly urge all Indian nationals to stay away from the offers being made to serve in the Russian army as they are fraught with danger and risk to life."

Jaiswal added that India is actively engaging Russian authorities to secure the release of the affected nationals, emphasizing, “We have strongly raised this matter with Russian authorities in Moscow and with the Russian embassy in New Delhi, and asked for them to be freed as soon as possible."

Reports indicate that some Indians on student or business visas were compelled to join Russian military units, including those deployed on the frontlines in Ukraine. Official figures suggest that over 150 Indians have been recruited so far, with 12 killed, 96 discharged, and 16 still missing.

The discussions with Lavrov come ahead of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev’s visit to India, preceding President Vladimir Putin’s scheduled visit in December.

In addition to the Russian meet, Jaishankar held talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on trade and tariffs, as well as bilateral meetings with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Haji Hasan, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, and Indonesia Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono.

On Thursday, Jaishankar participated in the G4 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with counterparts from Japan, Germany, and Brazil. In a post on X, he said, “Glad to join the G4 Foreign Ministers Meeting along with colleagues Takeshi Iwaya, Johann Wadephul and Mauro Vieira in New York today. G4 reiterated its commitment to reforming the United Nations including the UN Security Council. It also assessed the current state of the Inter-Governmental Negotiation IGN process.”

These engagements reflect India’s active diplomacy at UNGA80, addressing both bilateral and multilateral issues, including Ukraine, the Middle East, and UN reform.