Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a significant visit to Kyiv on Friday for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a move that is sure to capture Moscow’s attention as its conflict with Ukraine continues.
This visit marks the first time an Indian leader has set foot in Ukraine since its independence, coming just weeks after Modi’s controversial trip to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin.
That visit, Modi’s first international journey since starting his new term, drew criticism from Kyiv.
India has consistently advocated for a ceasefire and peace in Ukraine, yet it has stopped short of condemning Russia’s invasion.
New Delhi aims to maintain its longstanding relationship with Moscow, a key arms supplier and strategic partner in balancing its tensions with China.
Moreover, India has played a crucial role in supporting Russia’s economy, increasing its purchase of Russian crude oil after Moscow faced economic sanctions from countries worldwide.
Notably, India recently surpassed China to become the largest importer of Russian oil, as reported by Reuters, citing trade and industry sources.
Modi’s arrival in Kyiv, just one day before Ukraine’s Independence Day, follows his two-day visit to Poland, where he strengthened ties with the NATO member.
During a press conference in Warsaw, Modi, referencing the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, reiterated India’s belief that “no problem can be solved on the battlefield.”
“We support dialogue and diplomacy for the early restoration of peace and stability. For this, India, along with its friendly countries, is ready to provide all possible support,” Modi stated on Thursday, standing beside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Tusk commended Modi’s “intention to help end the war in Ukraine in a quick, peaceful and fair manner.”
A ‘landmark visit,’ Modi’s trip to Ukraine comes at a crucial juncture in the ongoing war, as Ukrainian forces recently launched an unprecedented offensive into Russian territory, forcing Moscow to respond.
Zelensky and Ukrainian officials are actively seeking to bolster international support for their peace plan, which hinges on the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian land.
The upcoming U.S. presidential election has sparked concerns in Kyiv that American support could wane if Republican candidate Donald Trump, known for his criticism of NATO and U.S. aid to Ukraine, is elected.
Throughout the conflict, Ukraine has tried to persuade countries with strong ties to Russia, like India and China, to encourage Putin to accept Kyiv’s conditions for peace.
While India participated in a Kyiv-backed international peace summit in Switzerland in June, it refrained from fully endorsing the summit’s final statement, emphasizing that resolution requires a “sincere and practical engagement between the two parties to the conflict.”
During his visit, Modi is expected to discuss with Zelensky what India’s Foreign Ministry described as “the entire gamut of bilateral relations,” including areas such as trade, infrastructure, and defense.
“This landmark visit, of course, takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which will also form part of discussions,” stated Tanmaya Lal, the ministry’s secretary for the West, earlier this week.
The Ukrainian presidential office announced that Modi and Zelensky would “discuss issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation” and that various documents would be signed.
Officials from both nations have recently expressed a desire to revive trade, which has suffered during the conflict, as indicated by Ukraine’s annual trade data.
Modi and Zelensky have previously met twice on the sidelines of G7 summits since the war began, including a recent meeting in Italy in June.
Zelensky strongly criticized Modi’s meeting with Putin last month, which coincided with a Russian assault on several Ukrainian cities and a devastating strike on a children’s hospital.
The Ukrainian president described Modi’s engagement with Putin as a “huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day.”
While Modi did not directly address these attacks, he made some of his most pointed remarks on the war to date, stating that “any person who believes in humanity is troubled when there are deaths, especially when innocent children die.” He also reiterated the need for a “path to peace through dialogue.”
