Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived in war-hit Ukraine and is expected to share perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict when he meets President Volodymyr Zelensky later today. The visit comes nearly six weeks after his high-profile trip to Moscow which triggered criticism from the US and some of its Western allies.
The prime minister arrived in Kyiv from Poland onboard a ‘Rail Force One’ train that took around 10 hours, in the second and final leg of his two-nation trip. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser
Modi will hold both one-on-one and delegation-level talks with Zelensky with a focus on ways to find a negotiated settlement to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
This is the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since the country became independent in 1991.
“I look forward to the opportunity to build upon earlier conversations with President Zelenskyy on strengthening bilateral cooperation and share perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict,” Modi had said before leaving Delhi.
India has so far maintained a neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine war, calling for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict. Modi’s government has expanded India’s non-alignment policy to “multi-alignment,” engaging with both the countries independently.
Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk said India could play an essential and constructive role in resolving the Russia-Ukraine war.
