India wants peace in Ukraine: Rajnath Singh

"We want the issue to be resolved through negotiation. It is now reported that US President Joe Biden has said that he is ready for talks with Russian President Putin. I am sure that some solution will emerge out of this dialogue," the Minister said on the sidelines of a political rally in Uttar Pradesh.

Asked about the stand of India, Rajnath said: "As far as India is concerned, India wants peace."

India has called for restraint as tensions escalated in the region with Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement to recognise the independence of two of Ukraine's rebel regions -- Donetsk and Luhansk -- as independent sovereign states.

"I deem it necessary to make a decision that should have been made a long time ago to immediately recognise the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR) People's Republics," he said.

Putin also termed Ukraine an integral part to Russia.

"The situation in Donbass is critical... Let me tell once again that Ukraine is not just a neighbouring country for us. It is an integral part of our own history, culture and spiritual world. Ukraine is more than a neighbour.. Lenin was the creator and architect of Ukraine, including the region of Donbas," he said.

Minutes before Putin's address, Kremlin issued a statement about the decision to recognise the independence of eastern Ukraine's breakaway regions.