New Delhi, June 5 -- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday reaffirmed India's consistent position that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in response to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal for direct talks with the Russian President Vladimir Putin in an open letter.

Addressing a weekly MEA briefing, a question was raised on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, referencing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's earlier remarks that "this is not an era of war" and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's open letter proposing direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, including the suggestion of a "neutral" venue for talks.

Responding to the query, MEA ...