New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor admitted he was wrong to oppose India's stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. He said India's policy has now put the country in a position to influence lasting peace.

Tharoor had criticised India's neutral position when Russia attacked Ukraine, urging the government to condemn the aggression.

Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, Tharoor said, "I am still wiping the egg off my face because I criticised India's position in February 2022." He argued at the time that Russia violated the UN charter, Ukraine's sovereignty, and the principle against using force to settle disputes.

Three years later, Tharoor acknowledged that India's balanced approach allows the prime minister to engage with both Ukraine and Russia. "Our PM can hug both the president of Ukraine and the president of Russia two weeks apart and be welcomed in both places," he said.

India’s distance from Europe also strengthens its neutral position, he added.

Tharoor suggested that India could send peacekeepers if Russia and Ukraine reach a peace agreement. He noted that Russia has rejected European peacekeepers from NATO countries. "I don't see much resistance to the idea of Indian peacekeepers," he said. With over 49 peacekeeping missions, India's role in global stability is well-established, Tharoor added.

Tharoor, a four-time MP and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member, recently stirred controversy by appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit and writing an article praising the Left government’s pro-business push.

Speaking about the Modi-Trump meeting, Tharoor had said, "Donald Trump calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a better negotiator than himself is astonishing. For Trump to say Modi is better—it’s high praise from a man who rarely gives it."

Shashi Tharoor's frequent praise for the ruling parties at the Centre and State has drawn criticism from the Congress' Kerala unit. The conflict, which stemmed from Tharoor's recent remarks, was resolved after a meeting with the Congress High Command, chaired by Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi.