2024-08-22 19:34:22
Kyiv: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Ukraine later this month. This will be his first visit to Ukraine since the conflict with Russia. This has also been confirmed by the Indian Foreign Ministry. The Ministry of External Affairs has said that apart from Ukraine, PM Modi will also visit Poland, which is an active member of NATO. However, no exact date has been announced for PM Modi’s visit to Ukraine. It is expected that PM Modi may visit both countries between 21 and 23 August.
Analysts believe that the purpose of PM Modi’s visit to Ukraine is to control the damage caused by his visit to Russia. It was during his visit that Russia carried out a deadly attack on a children’s hospital in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. PM Modi himself condemned this attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also criticized PM Modi’s visit. PM Modi made a much-awaited visit to Moscow on 8-9 June. During this, the two countries agreed to promote bilateral trade and cooperation in areas ranging from nuclear energy to medicine, space and military.
PM Modi had advised Putin
PM Modi’s visit to Russia coincided with the Russian attack on a hospital in Kiev. This led PM Modi to use emotive language to criticise Russian President Vladimir Putin at the summit. Modi told Putin that the death of innocent children was painful and horrific and reiterated India’s position that Moscow and Kiev should resolve their conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. He said that “solutions are not possible on the battlefield.”
America also raised questions on PM Modi’s visit
Modi’s visit to Russia also coincided with the NATO summit in Washington on July 9-10, where allies pledged to strengthen Ukraine and take steps to counter Russia. The US said it has raised concerns with India about its ties with Russia. The US also said that this relationship also gives India the strength to urge Putin to end the war.
India in regular contact with Ukraine
Top Indian diplomats have held regular talks with their Ukrainian counterparts since PM Modi’s visit to Russia. External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has called Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to discuss further developing bilateral ties. Modi met Zelensky in June during the Group of Seven summit in Italy. During this, trade and expansion of relations were discussed between the two leaders. The two leaders have spoken on the phone several times since the war began in February 2022.
Ukraine is asking for help from India
Ukraine has sought assistance from New Delhi to help rebuild its war-ravaged economy. Ukraine invited investment from Indian companies at a business summit held in India in January. India has traditionally had close economic and defense ties with Moscow and has refrained from criticizing Russia for its aggression, instead boosting purchases of Russian oil to record levels. India has said it needs to protect its national interests first.