PM Modi in Ukraine: Here's what to expect from his talks with Zelenskyy

PM Narendra Modi arrived in Ukraine on Friday, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the war-torn nation since it gained independence in 1991

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi arrived in Ukraine on Friday, marking a brief yet historic visit to the war-stricken nation, where he is expected to discuss with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy peaceful resolutions to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

PM Modi's visit to Ukraine is in response to an invitation from the Ukrainian leader, with his visit to Kyiv coming nearly six weeks after his high-profile trip to Moscow, where he held extensive discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

PM Modi's Russia trip had drawn criticism from the United States (US) and some Western allies, and his visit to Ukraine is being viewed by many as a diplomatic balancing act.

 

This marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since the country gained independence in 1991.

What is PM Modi's Ukraine visit agenda?

Before departing from New Delhi, PM Modi had said, "I look forward to the opportunity to build upon earlier conversations with President Zelenskyy on strengthening bilateral cooperation and share perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict."

"As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region," his departure statement had added.

What will PM Modi, Zelenskyy talk about?

PM Modi will hold both one-on-one and delegation-level talks with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, which will focus on ways to find a negotiated settlement to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

PM Modi's visit to Kyiv comes amid Ukraine's fresh military offensive into Russian territory. According to news agency PTI, PM Modi's schedule in the Ukrainian capital is being kept confidential due to security protocols.

However, PM Modi's statements in Poland, from where he travelled to Kyiv, can shed some light on the likely direction any talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict could take. Before his trip to Ukraine, PM Modi spent two days in Poland on August 21 and 22.

Following talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, PM Modi had remarked on Thursday that the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia are matters of "deep concern," emphasising that "dialogue and diplomacy" are the means to restore peace.

"This is India's firm belief that no problem can be solved on the battlefield. In any crisis, the loss of lives of innocent people has become the biggest challenge for the whole of humanity," PM Modi had said in Poland.

"We support dialogue and diplomacy for the early restoration of peace and stability. For this, India, along with its friendly countries, is ready to provide all possible support," he had added in a media statement with Tusk.

Since the conflict began in 2022, India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution through negotiations.

Before PM Modi's visit to Kyiv, India had announced on Monday its willingness to contribute to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

India has always advocated for diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, explained Tanmaya Lal, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), during a media briefing.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine would be part of the discussions, Lal had said, adding that India has independent ties with both Russia and Ukraine.

Lal had noted that the talks between PM Modi and Zelenskyy were expected to cover the entire range of India-Ukraine relations, including agriculture, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, health and education, defence, and people-to-people ties.

What does Kyiv hope to gain from PM Modi's Ukraine visit?

Also on Monday, the Office of President Zelenskyy had issued a statement on PM Modi's visit to Ukraine, saying, "During the visit, talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be held to discuss issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. It is also expected that several documents between Ukraine and India will be signed."

Office of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issues statement - On August 23, the National Flag Day of Ukraine, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Ukraine. This is the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine in the history of our… pic.twitter.com/YMFgOxfZGV

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2024

The Ukrainian leadership has also reportedly requested India's help in rebuilding the country's war-torn economy.

Kyiv has been critical of India's stance on the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

In July, PM Modi's two-day visit to Russia prompted President Zelenskyy to criticise his meeting with Russian President Putin, calling it a "devastating blow to peace efforts". Zelenskyy had said, "It is disheartening to see the leader of the world's largest democracy embrace the world's most notorious criminal in Moscow."

In response, India had raised the remarks made by President Zelenskyy with Ukraine's Ambassador to India.

What does PM Modi's Ukraine visit mean for Indo-Russia ties?

Before PM Modi departed for Poland and Ukraine, Tanmaya Lal, Secretary (West) in the MEA, had noted that India has independent ties with both Moscow and Kyiv.

"India has substantive and independent ties with both Russia and Ukraine, and these partnerships stand on their own," said Lal.

"I would like to emphasise that this is not a zero-sum game. The Prime Minister also visited Russia, and many ideas were discussed," Lal said.

Lal had also declined to speculate on the outcome of the talks between PM Modi and Zelenskyy.

While India has not directly blamed Russia for the conflict, it has been critical at times of the escalating violence.

During PM Modi's two-day visit to Russia last month, a deadly strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv occurred, prompting him to express his horror to President Putin over the deaths of innocent children and to call for a resolution to the conflict.

What are the other important points to know about PM Modi's Ukraine visit?

This would be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since it became independent in 1991, with PM Modi's visit to Kyiv set to last nearly seven hours.

PM Modi arrived in Kyiv from Poland aboard the 'Rail Force One' train under tight security, as the second and final leg of his two-nation trip. The train journey took approximately 10 hours, with the return trip likely to be of a similar duration.

Other world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, had also traveled to Kyiv by train from a Polish station.

Prior to his departure from Warsaw, which is a key supporter of Ukraine, PM Modi described his Poland visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 45 years, as "special".

India has not condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, instead advocating for the resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

PM Modi had also held talks with Zelenskyy in June on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy.

Back then, too, PM Modi had conveyed to the Ukrainian President that New Delhi would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict and that the way to peace was through "dialogue and diplomacy".

While Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, New Delhi and Beijing have continued to maintain trade relations with Moscow.

In particular, the US has expressed concerns about India's relationship with Russia, even as Washington continues to strengthen ties with New Delhi to counterbalance Beijing.

Despite convergent interests, especially regarding an increasingly assertive China, India aims to deepen its relationship with the West while maintaining its long-standing ties with Russia.