Find a way to end Russia-Ukraine war

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on all concerned to find ways to stop the Russia-Ukraine war while holding a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“PM Hasina always says Bangladesh is against all kinds of war. Today, she discussed how the Russia-Ukraine war could be stopped during her talk with Zelenskyy,” said Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud at a news briefing after the meeting.

The meeting between the two leaders was held at Hotel Bayerischer Hof on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference 2024 yesterday morning.

Hasan said there was also a discussion on how the attacks on innocent men and women in Gaza could be stopped.

“Wars may benefit others, but it doesn’t benefit the countries or the people involved,” Hasina was quoted as saying.

She recalled the suffering of the people of Bangladesh and her own suffering at the time of the birth of her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy while being a captive of the Pakistani occupation forces during the Liberation War.

“Bangladesh’s foreign policy — ‘Friendship to all, malice to none’ — prominently came up in the discussion between Hasina and Zelenskyy,” the foreign minister said.

Replying to a query, Hasan said the friendly relationship between Bangladesh and Russia, which formed during the Liberation War, has not been hampered by this meeting.

“Our relationship with Russia is wonderful. Russia supported Liberation War and played a pivotal role in rebuilding Bangladesh after the war,” he said.

On X, Zelenskyy said he appreciated the support of Bangladesh for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

He said they discussed the Ukrainian vision of a just peace based on the Peace Formula, and cooperation in the trade and economic sphere.

Zelenskyy offered to join the implementation of the formula and participate in the first inaugural Global Peace Summit.

Prior to the meeting, the federal minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany called on Hasina.

Hasina also held a bilateral meeting with the Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the conference.

At the meeting with Rutte, both leaders expressed satisfaction over the existing bilateral relations and discussed other issues of mutual and global interests.

Later, Secretary of the State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom David Cameron paid a call on the Bangladesh premier at the same venue.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and Senior Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Masud Bin Momen, were present, among others.

Hasina is scheduled to reach Dhaka tomorrow.