PM Modi To Visit Ukraine On August 23

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Ukraine on August 23, where he will engage in discussions on bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as confirmed by the Ukrainian presidential office on Monday.

“This is the first visit of the head of the Indian government to our country in the history of bilateral relations,” stated the office in a message on Telegram.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West), Tanmaya Lal, described the visit as "landmark and historic," noting that it marks the first time an Indian Prime Minister will visit Ukraine since diplomatic relations were established over 30 years ago. Lal emphasized that the visit will build on recent high-level interactions between the two nations' leaders.

The MEA termed it ‘an important visit’, highlighting that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine will be a key topic of discussion. India has consistently advocated for diplomacy and dialogue to resolve conflicts and maintains independent ties with both Russia and Ukraine.

India has refrained from directly blaming Russia for the ongoing conflict, which Moscow refers to as a special military operation, while urging both nations to resolve their issues through dialogue. Despite Western sanctions on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, countries like India and China have continued trading with Moscow.

The US has expressed concerns over India’s relationship with Russia, particularly as Washington seeks to strengthen ties with New Delhi as a counterbalance to a rising China. New Delhi aims to deepen its relationship with the West while maintaining strong ties with Russia.

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