NB Bureau
The leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad, which groups India, Australia, Japan and the US, will hold a virtual summit on Thursday against the backdrop of the crisis in Ukraine.
According to the statement issued by the India’s External Affairs Ministry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate along with President of USA Joe Biden, Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison, and Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida in a Quad Leaders’ virtual meeting today.
“The Leaders will have an opportunity to continue their dialogue after the September 2021 Summit in Washington DC. They will exchange views and assessments about important developments in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad Leaders will also review ongoing efforts to implement the Leaders’ initiatives announced as part of the Quad’s contemporary and positive agenda,” reads the statement.
Japan’s state broadcaster NHK reports that the ‘phone talks’ between Quad leaders was arranged by Tokyo.
“Government sources say Prime Minister Kishida Fumio hopes to confirm the unity of the Quad group on Ukraine. One member, India, has close relations with Russia,” NHK reports.
“Also on the agenda will be an in-person summit of the Quad nations planned in Japan for the first half of this year,” the report adds.
