India and Ukraine are exploring the possibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to kyiv next month as part of renewed global efforts to bring peace to the Eastern European nation, diplomatic sources said on Saturday.
Modi is likely to visit kyiv on the occasion of Ukraine’s national holiday on August 24 and is likely to visit Poland after concluding his Ukraine trip, the sources said.
The prime minister spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Puglia, Italy.
If Modi visits Poland, it will be the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the country in over four decades. India and Ukraine are eyeing a visit by Modi to kyiv in the second half of August, the sources said, adding that the trip was not yet finalised as massive preparations would be required in terms of logistics and related matters.
The prime minister’s visit to the two countries may begin around August 23-24, the sources said. No official information has been given on this matter either from India or Ukraine.
During his meeting with Zelensky on June 14, Modi conveyed to the Ukrainian president that India would continue to do everything in its power to support a peaceful solution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and that the path to peace lies through « dialogue and diplomacy. »
Modi also told Zelensky that India believes in a « human-centric » approach to finding a solution to the conflict in Ukraine. During the meeting, the Ukrainian president invited the prime minister to visit Kiev.
India maintains that the conflict in Ukraine must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. Modi visited Russia on July 8-9, which drew criticism from the United States. Many Western countries also appear unhappy with the prime minister’s trip to Moscow.
India on Thursday dismissed Washington’s concerns over Modi’s trip to Moscow and asserted that all countries have « freedom of choice » in a multipolar world and everyone should be aware of these realities. In his summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Indian prime minister delivered an unambiguous message, saying a solution to the Ukraine conflict is not possible on the battlefield and peace talks cannot be concluded amidst bombs, guns and bullets.