Permanent India UNSC seat an "obvious element" of global governance reform: Polish envoy

By Ayushi Agarwal New Delhi [India], October 20 (ANI): Poland's Ambassador to India, Piotr Antoni witalski, has firmly anchored bilateral support for India's permanent bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council in the broader context of reforming global governance structures. Speaking exclusively to ANI, witalski said, "We believe that the new role of the Global South should be reflected in the governance structure of global institutions. For us, permanent membership for India is an obvious element of this reform. So, we support India's aspiration to become a permanent member of the Security Council. On our side, we also expect our partners from the Global South to be positive towards permanent membership for the European Union in the Security Council." Building on this international recognition of New Delhi's rising global stature, India's diplomatic campaign for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has gained significant global momentum. During the 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2026, a growing number of international statesmen expressed renewed and direct support for New Delhi's inclusion at the council's top table. In addition to endorsing India's UNSC ambitions, the Polish envoy lauded New Delhi's balanced diplomatic outreach on the Russia-Ukraine war, stating, "We are grateful to India for the efforts made so far to pass this very important message that it is not the time in the world to fight wars, and that the war between Russia and Ukraine should end as soon as possible. We are grateful for that, and we appreciate India's concrete efforts. The unique position of India is that you have good relations with the conflicting parties, and you can send this message of peace very directly and in a very credible way." Against this broader backdrop of intense global diplomatic manoeuvring and ongoing international efforts to resolve the crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, with Moscow pursuing a peace deal favourable to its national interests, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. Putin reportedly raised the proposal during a telephone conversation with Trump on October 9. The Kremlin has acknowledged that discussions about a potential meeting are underway, although no final decision has been reached. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the WSJ that the three nations had yet to reach a consensus on the meeting or its agenda. "There is no clear understanding yet regarding the meeting itself or its potential agenda, although all three parties acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of such a meeting taking place," Peskov told the WSJ. A senior US official told the publication that Trump had not formally agreed to the summit but might remain receptive to the idea as he works to end the Russia-Ukraine war. According to the publication, the Kremlin suggested holding the trilateral talks alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, China. Russian diplomatic representatives have reportedly pitched the idea to their Chinese counterparts, who indicated that they would raise no objections if Trump decided to participate. The initiative has sparked apprehension in Kyiv and among Washington's European partners, chiefly over the exclusion of Ukrainian representatives from deliberations concerning the war. On Sunday, Trump stated that negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war were achieving "great progress" while defending his administration's diplomatic approach towards Moscow. He also faulted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for missing the opportunity to secure a more favourable arrangement two years earlier. In a message published on Truth Social, Trump indicated that he wanted to avoid measures that might alienate Russia from the negotiating table. He also referred to ongoing hostage negotiations and noted that he could sign the relevant document at a later stage. "My decision on Russia is a very simple one. I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don't want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table. Great progress is being made, and that includes current hostage negotiations! Signing that document at this time will do that, and I can sign it later, or any time that I want!" Trump wrote. The proposed trilateral summit follows a 90-minute telephone conversation between Putin and Trump earlier in the month, which Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov described as "very substantive" and cordial. As reported by Russian state news agency TASS, the two heads of state discussed economic projects, energy supplies and multilateral issues. They also expressed satisfaction with bilateral communication channels. Ushakov said the presidents had not agreed on an exact date for an in-person meeting but could potentially meet on the sidelines of the forthcoming APEC summit in China, provided both attended. "An important international event is coming up in China: the APEC summit. At least for now, both the Russian and US leaders are interested in attending. Accordingly, if both leaders are at the same international venue, I assume they will find an opportunity to meet, shake hands and talk," Ushakov said, as quoted by TASS. Energy cooperation was another key focus of the exchange. Ushakov confirmed that the leaders discussed potential Russian petroleum product shipments to the United States and international trade. Following the conversation, Trump disclosed via Truth Social that Russia would promptly supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to American and international markets, with additional shipments expected in the following months. The proposed trilateral summit would bring together the leaders of Russia, the United States and China, although the exclusion of Ukraine could complicate efforts to reach a resolution acceptable to Kyiv and its European allies. (ANI)