Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Makes Historic Visit to Ukraine, Meeting President Zelensky
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since 1991, Al Jazeera reports.
Zelensky embraced Modi upon his arrival at the Marinskyi presidential palace on Friday, describing the visit as “very friendly” and “historic.” During talks, the two leaders are expected to focus on strengthening economic ties and enhancing cooperation in defense, science, and technology. Additionally, the discussions are set to address the pressing issue of reaching a settlement to end the ongoing war with Russia.
Modi said that the conflict should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, a stance India previously communicated before his visit.
This meeting comes just a month and a half after Modi’s discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where both leaders agreed to boost bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030. Their agenda included increasing investments, removing non-tariff trade barriers, and using their national currencies to navigate sanctions.
In the context of peace efforts, Ukraine is looking to host a second international summit later this year to present its vision for peace, inviting representatives from Russia. The first summit, held in Switzerland in June and excluding Russia, saw participation from several delegations, including one from India, but notably not from China.
