The US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, denounced the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine during an event at the Ukrainian Embassy in the national capital. Speaking at a photo exhibition, Garcetti expressed hope for achieving peace and emphasized the need to believe in the eventual end of the war with accountability, freedom, and democracy prevailing.

He acknowledged the difficulties of rebuilding Ukraine, highlighting the unfathomable human costs of the war. Garcetti stated that the loss of human lives cannot be calculated or rebuilt, emphasizing the lasting impact beyond material reconstruction. Despite outrage at the ongoing conflict, he maintained hope and called for efforts toward justice, condemning the barbarity and expressing solidarity with those affected.

The event coincided with the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, marked by the Russian Army’s capture of the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka. This strategic move was described as an “important victory” by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Avdiivka, a crucial defensive hub for Ukraine’s armed forces, fell after months of heavy fighting and limited progress in repelling Russian forces, according to Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskii.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy supported the decision to withdraw troops from Avdiivka, describing it as a professional choice to save Ukrainian lives. The battle for this industrial hub, near the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, has been among the bloodiest in the two-year war, with significant casualties on both sides.