Indian PM Modi to visit Ukraine

Indian Foreign Ministry says Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Ukraine. The date is unspecified, but Indian media claim it may occur this week.

Aug 19, 2024 - 08:20

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Ukraine, the Indian foreign ministry announced on Monday, according to AFP and Reuters. While the exact date was not provided, Indian media reports suggest the visit may take place later this week, AFP says.

India has refrained from explicitly condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine since the all-out war began in 2022, but urged both sides to resolve their differences through dialogue and diplomacy. India has also abstained from UN resolutions targeting Russia. India maintains close ties with Russia while fostering closer security partnerships with Western nations.

This visit comes weeks after Modi’s meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July, condemned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meeting occurred just hours after a Russian missile assault hit multiple Ukrainian cities, resulting in dozens of casualties and significant damage to a children’s hospital in Kyiv. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Ukrainian ambassador on 15 July to address Zelenskyy’s comments.

As the Russo-Ukrainian war is ongoing, Moscow has emerged as a major supplier of discounted crude oil to India, providing a crucial export market for Moscow amid Western sanctions, bolsters Russia’s war finances.

At the same time, Russia’s Ukraine invasion has also had human costs for India, with at least eight Indian soldiers reported to have died in Ukraine after being recruited for “support jobs” with the Russian military.

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