Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Friday for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
This is the first time Modi has set foot in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. The official visit is drawing attention over what kind of message Modi will deliver concerning the drawn-out conflict.
India has long had friendly ties with Russia. It has avoided directly criticizing Moscow over the invasion, and abstained from voting in UN resolutions seeking Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine.
Still, Modi conveyed his concerns when he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July.
Modi told Putin that, “Solutions are not possible on battlegrounds,” urging him to seek dialogue and diplomacy.
A senior official of India’s Ministry of External Affairs said ahead of Modi’s visit that, “India is willing to provide all possible support and contribution to help find peaceful solutions to this complex issue.”
On the Ukrainian side, President Zelenskyy is expected to seek Modi’s understanding of Kyiv’s position. Ukraine is mindful of India’s ties with Russia and its status as a leader in a group of emerging nations known as the Global South.