Indian PM Modi calls for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia during historic Kyiv visit
In a historic visit to Kyiv on Friday, August 23, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to engage in peace talks with Russia to end the ongoing conflict incited by Moscow. Modi positioned himself as a "friend" and mediator to facilitate peace.
During a joint press conference, Modi emphasized his mission of peace and urged immediate dialogue between Russia and Ukraine. "The path to resolution can only be found through dialogue and diplomacy. We must move in this direction without losing time," Modi stated, quoting a report from Reuters.
Expressing unwavering support for peace, Modi asserted that India has sided with peace since the first day of the war between Ukraine and Russia. Despite New Delhi's official neutral stance since the full-scale invasion, dpa notes that India has refrained from backing Western sanctions against Moscow, consistently advocating dialogue-driven conflict resolution without specific proposals.
Modi also pledged ample humanitarian aid to Ukraine, assuring "whatever humanitarian help is needed, India will always stand with you and endeavor to support you," as quoted by AFP during his meeting with Zelensky.
Both leaders hailed the visit as historic, with Zelensky telling journalists, "This visit is very friendly and important for all Ukrainians."
In a solemn tribute at the Ukrainian National Museum of the History of the Second World War, Modi and Zelensky honored the memory of children who lost their lives to Russian aggression. They laid toys at the multimedia martyrology site, "Children."
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, accompanying Modi, disclosed that the Indian PM invited Zelensky to make a reciprocal visit to India.
On July 8-9, Modi visited Moscow, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the day of their meeting, July 8, Russian forces launched a massive strike on Ukraine, including Kyiv's children’s hospital "Ohmatdet."
In his discussion with Putin, Modi, striving to maintain favorable ties with both the West and Russia, called for an end to the conflict in Ukraine through dialogue. He expressed deep sorrow and horror at the death of children in the Kyiv hospital, stating, "When innocent children are killed, when you see them die, the heart aches and this pain is unbearable," highlighting the tragic impact.
Zelensky criticized Modi's visit to Moscow, branding it as a severe setback to peace efforts. "It’s a massive disappointment and a devastating blow to peace initiatives, seeing the leader of the world’s largest democracy embracing the most blood-soaked criminal in Moscow on such a day," he remarked.