Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday. This will be the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Modi’s visit comes at a crucial time, given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
**Why is PM Modi’s visit to Kyiv significant?**
Modi’s visit to Ukraine follows his trip to Moscow in July and is considered an important step for Kyiv, which is seeking to strengthen diplomatic relations with countries in the Global South as part of its strategy for achieving a just resolution to the conflict. Notably, Modi’s visit to Moscow coincided with a severe Russian missile strike on Ukraine that hit a children’s hospital. During the summit in Moscow, Modi offered a pointed but indirect criticism of Putin. However, the visit was met with strong condemnation from President Zelenskyy, who described it 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.”
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to President Zelenskyy, told Reuters that Modi’s visit to Kyiv is highly significant. He emphasized that New Delhi has substantial influence over Moscow, making it essential for both countries to establish strong relations and clarify their vision for ending the war.
On Wednesday, Modi expressed his eagerness to explore potential paths for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Reports indicate that his visit to Kyiv will last about seven hours.
Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst based in Kyiv, does not expect any groundbreaking proposals to emerge from Modi’s visit, which follows his stop in Poland on Thursday. He mentioned that meaningful negotiations would require a stabilization of the military situation and the completion of the U.S. presidential election, due to the close alliance between Ukraine and the United States.
Fesenko highlighted that the visit is important for India to demonstrate it is not aligned with Russia and for Kyiv to work on mending relations following Modi’s trip to Moscow.
Richard Verma, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and a former U.S. ambassador to India, also stressed the importance of Modi’s visit to Kyiv. Verma noted that he values Modi’s remarks about the necessity for peace over war, emphasizing that this moment is critical for defending liberty, freedom, and the rule of law.
India, historically recognized for its strong economic and defense ties with Moscow, has condemned the loss of innocent lives resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war. Nonetheless, India’s economic relations with Russia have intensified following the sanctions and trade restrictions imposed by Western countries in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Although India previously purchased minimal amounts of Russian oil, Indian refiners have become major buyers of seaborne Russian crude since the conflict began in February 2022. Currently, Russian oil accounts for over 40% of India’s total oil imports.
