Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday made history as he became the first Indian prime minister to visit Ukraine, meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv. The two leaders greeted each other with a warm hug and handshake before proceeding to discussions aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
PM Modi’s visit to Ukraine comes nearly six weeks after his high-profile trip to Russia, where he held extensive talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin focused on ending the conflict. The Indian leader’s visit to Kyiv, following his arrival from Poland aboard the ‘Rail Force One’ train, underscores India’s commitment to playing a constructive role in fostering peace in the region.
Today in Kyiv, Prime Minister @NarendraModi and I honored the memory of the children whose lives were taken by Russian aggression.
Children in every country deserve to live in safety. We must make this possible. pic.twitter.com/gKdjqcL5iz
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 23, 2024
During their meeting, PM Modi and President Zelenskyy are scheduled to hold both one-on-one and delegation-level talks.
The primary focus of these discussions is expected to be on ways to negotiate a settlement to the war that has devastated Ukraine and strained global relations.
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This is not the first time the two leaders have met; they last held talks in June on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy’s Apulia. During that meeting, PM Modi reiterated India’s commitment to supporting a peaceful solution to the conflict through “dialogue and diplomacy.” He emphasized India’s “human-centric” approach, which prioritizes the welfare of people over geopolitical rivalries.
The Ukrainian President had previously extended an invitation to PM Modi to visit Kyiv, and today’s historic meeting marks the fulfillment of that invitation. The visit is seen as a significant diplomatic effort by India to engage with both sides in the conflict.
Earlier today, PM Modi held discussions with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw, where he expressed deep concern over the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. “This is India’s firm belief that no problem can be solved on the battlefield. In any crisis, the loss of lives of innocent people has become the biggest challenge for the whole of humanity,” PM Modi stated, reinforcing India’s call for a peaceful resolution through diplomatic means.
PM Modi’s visit to Ukraine is being closely watched by the international community, as India continues to navigate its neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict while advocating for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward.
