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In a historic first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv and emphasised India's stand for peace in the country's ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelenskyy, on the other hand, said he wanted India on Ukraine's side and asked New Delhi not to do a "balancing act".
Earlier in the day, the two leaders shook hands before PM Modi engulfed the Ukrainian President in a hug. As the duo toured the war-torn country's Martyrologist Exposition, the Indian leader's hand remained firmly on Zelenskyy's shoulder - a gesture of India's solidarity with Ukraine.
"Conflict is especially devastating for young children. My heart goes out to the families of the children who lost their lives and I pray that they find the strength to overcome their grief,' PM Modi said.
PM Modi's visit, which was the first trip by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since Kyiv gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, came amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Key highlights from PM Modi’s Ukraine visit
- PM Modi arrived around 7:30 am (local time to Kyiv) and came to the hotel around 7:55 am (local time). The Prime Minister was welcomed with the chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ by the Indian diaspora after his arrival in Kyiv. He shared some pictures after he was accorded a very warm welcome in Kyiv.
- PM Modi paid floral tributes at a Mahatma Gandhi statue. He reiterated India's position on global conflicts, calling for unity and cooperation to address the challenges facing humanity. Making a strong appeal for peace, he stated, "India's stance is very clear - this is not an era of war. This is a time to come together to tackle the challenges that pose a threat to humanity."
- The two world leaders held one-on-one talks. In the press conference after the meeting, PM Modi once again reiterated India’s neutral stance in the Ukraine war, while offering help to end the conflict. Urging dialogue and diplomacy, PM Modi said that New Delhi is ready to make proactive contributions towards efforts for peace. PM Modi, who has been calling for talks to end the war in Ukraine since the conflict began in 2022, said, "India was never neutral in this war, we side with peace."
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the other hand, said he wanted India to be on Ukraine's side and not to do a "balancing act". "I think that India has begun to recognise that this is not just conflict, this is a real war of one man and his name is Putin against the whole country whose name is Ukraine. You are a big country. You have a big influence, and you can stop Putin and halt his economy, and put him really in his place," he said.
- India and Ukraine signed four agreements after talks between the two leaders. The four agreements were for cooperation in agriculture, medicine, culture and humanitarian assistance.
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the topic of India's energy trade with Russia came up during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's discussion with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- PM Modi presented four BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri) Cubes to the Ukrainian government. Each BHISHM Cube consists of medicines and equipment for the first line of care for all kinds of injuries and medical situations, a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said.
- PM Modi's visit to Ukraine comes nearly six weeks after his high-profile trip to Moscow, during which he held extensive talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the ongoing conflict. The visit and his bonhomie with Russian President Vladimir Putin was criticised by the West, calling on the Indian Prime Minister to condemn Moscow's aggression in Ukraine. Ukraine wasn’t too happy with the visit either. They criticised him for meeting President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the same day a Russian strike hit a children's hospital in Kyiv, killing dozens.
- In June this year, PM Modi met Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. During the meeting, PM Modi emphasised that India would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict and that the way to peace is through "dialogue and diplomacy".
- India has ensured it maintained friendly ties with both nations after war broke out. This included continuing trade with Russia despite the Western sanctions on Moscow. The trade not only helped the Russian economy stay afloat, but was also beneficial for New Delhi as they imported crude oil at a heavy discount. On the Ukrainian front, India extended its help by providing essential medicines and support.
