Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Ukraine in August, as global efforts to negotiate a settlement to the conflict with Russia intensify, according to individuals familiar with the situation.
Logistics and Timing of the Trip
The visit, likely to align with Ukraine’s National Day on August 24, may be combined with a trip to Poland due to the complex logistics of visiting a warzone, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Diplomatic Arrangements and Historical Context
While the visit has not yet been formally announced by either the Indian or Ukrainian governments, unnamed diplomats have indicated that New Delhi and Kyiv are working on the arrangements. This would mark Modi’s first visit to Ukraine; the last time an Indian prime minister visited Poland was in 1979.
Balancing Act Amid Criticism
The proposed visit to Ukraine, coming on the heels of Modi’s trip to Moscow on July 8-9 for the annual India-Russia Summit with President Vladimir Putin, is being interpreted by some as part of New Delhi’s strategy to balance its stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Although India has not openly criticized Russia’s invasion, Modi did remind Putin during their recent meeting that a resolution cannot be achieved through warfare and that peace talks cannot succeed under the threat of violence.
Responses to Criticism and Support for Peace
Sources indicate that plans for visits to both Ukraine and Poland have been in the works for months but were delayed due to various factors, including general elections in India and Poland. Ukraine had extended an invitation to Modi earlier, which was reaffirmed when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Indian leader at the G7 Summit in Italy on June 14.
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The visit was also discussed during a phone call between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on July 19, according to sources. Modi also informed Putin about his intention to visit Kyiv during their recent meeting.
Modi’s arrival in Moscow coincided with a Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, leading Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to criticize the Indian leader’s visit to Russia and the public images of him with Putin. Although Zelenskyy did not mention Modi or Putin by name, he expressed that it was 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”.
There was also significant backlash in the West over Modi’s decision to make Russia the destination for his first bilateral visit in his third term. This came at a time when the US was hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO leaders for a summit focused on bolstering support for Ukraine.
In response to criticism from US officials like Ambassador Eric Garcetti and Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu, India has defended its longstanding relationship with Russia, emphasizing that these ties are grounded in “mutual interests” and that countries have the freedom to make their own choices in a multipolar world.
Although India’s top leadership did not participate in the Ukraine peace summit hosted by Switzerland last month, Modi assured Zelenskyy during their recent meeting that India supports a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and will continue to do everything possible to contribute to a peaceful solution.
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