'PM Modi's message, today's era is not of war, resonated widely in Europe'

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "clear" message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "today's era is not of war" resonated widely in Europe in a very positive way, German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann said on Sunday while complimenting India's call for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.

In an exclusive interview, the envoy said there has been a "certain shift" in India's position on the war in Ukraine as he referred to the Indian statement on the UN resolution against Moscow's annexation of four Ukrainian regions.

Ackermann said Germany would not "blame" the Indian side for buying crude oil from Russia, but what it expects is a clear positioning saying

international laws must be adhered to.

Elaborating on the global energy crisis triggered by the war, Ackermann said that there is a need for an international network of like-minded countries to deal with it and that Germany counts India in this group.

Asked about Prime Minister Modi's message to Putin to end the war, Ackermann said, "It is a sentence that has resonated widely, widely in the region in a very positive way."

"It is a very beautiful phrase. The whole world was listening to it. I think it was a very very clear, very loud sentence that I cannot underline how much I agreed with Prime Minister Modi. So we were very pleased to hear the sentence," he said.

In his bilateral meeting with Putin in Uzbekistan on September 16, Modi said "today's era is not of war" and nudged the Russian leader to end the conflict.