Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Ukraine, according to an announcement from India's foreign ministry on Monday, as per Reuter’s report.
The visit will be Modi’s first to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began. The announcement comes just weeks after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Modi for embracing Russian President Vladimir Putin during a recent visit to Moscow.
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Modi’s visit to Russia, where he was pictured hugging Putin, occurred shortly after a series of Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities that left more than 30 civilians dead and caused severe damage to a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Modi also visited Russia in 2019 and hosted Putin in New Delhi two years later, weeks before Russia began its offensive against Ukraine.
While India’s foreign ministry has not confirmed an exact date for Modi’s visit to Kyiv, media reports suggest the trip will happen later this week. It follows India's controversial stance of avoiding direct condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine, instead advocating for peaceful dialogue between both sides.
India and Russia have long maintained strong relations dating back to the Cold War, with Russia acting as a key arms supplier to New Delhi. In the wake of Western sanctions against Moscow, Russia has also become a crucial provider of discounted crude oil to India, which has helped strengthen economic ties between the two nations and sustained Russia’s war effort.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December, 20, 2024
Despite Modi’s reluctance to criticize Russia openly, the war has taken a toll on India. Several Indian nationals who took on support roles with the Russian military have been sent to the front lines in Ukraine, with at least five Indian soldiers reported dead.
The West has sought to bolster its ties with India as part of efforts to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region and has pressured New Delhi to distance itself from Moscow. However, India has consistently abstained from UN resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion, opting to maintain a neutral stance.
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