PM Modi Ukraine visit HIGHLIGHTS: PM Modi meets Zelenskyy, invites him to India

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Instagram post with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi became his most liked post on the social media platform within a few hours of being uploaded on Friday.

Ukraine and Russia need to engage with each other to find a solution to the ongoing conflict between them, India said on Friday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy here under the shadow of the raging war. In the discussions, Modi reiterated the need for "practical engagement" between all stakeholders to develop an innovative solution that will help build broad acceptability and contribute towards peace and stability in the region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday presented four BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri) Cubes to the Ukrainian government during his visit to the war-torn country where he met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy under the shadow of the raging war with Russia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (August 23) told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that India will always stand with Ukraine for humanitarian assistance. He also offered to play an "active part" in the peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia as the war stretches over two years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his official residence, Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv.

"President @ZelenskyyUa and I paid homage at the Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv. Conflict is particularly devastating for young children. My heart goes out to the families of children who lost their lives, and I pray that they find the strength to endure their grief," said PM Modi on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to leave Ukraine by 2 pm (local time) and will travel by train to Rzeszow. He will return to India via Indian Air Force 1. The train journey is expected to take approximately 10 hours.

(reported by Vijay Laxmi)

"Paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Kyiv. The ideals of Bapu are universal and give hope to millions. May we all follow the path he showed to humanity," said PM Narendra Modi on X.

PM Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy honour the memory of children at the Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv

"Reached Kyiv earlier this morning. The Indian community accorded a very warm welcome," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally reached Ukraine for his historic visit and interacted with the Indian diaspora there ahead of high-level talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"We are excited about PM Modi's arrival here. The government of India has been helping Indian students here since the time of Operation Ganga," an Indian student in Ukraine told news agency ANI.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainian First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emine Dzhaparova visited New Delhi in April 2023. PM Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met each other the next month during the G7 Summit in Japan.

MEA Secretary (West) Sanjay Verma visited Kyiv for the 9th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in July. In February 2024, Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Iryna Borovets visited India, followed by Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba in March. PM Modi and Zelenskyy later met in Italy during the G7 Summit in June.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Ukrainian professor Katrina Dovbnya said, "I think it (PM Modi's visit) is very important, especially nowadays. We hope that PM Modi will help Ukraine in establishing peace. I am not a politician, I am just an assistant professor at a university, but I have this hope."

Prime Minister Modi's highly-anticipated visit to Ukraine is expected to last roughly seven hours. He has undertaken a 10-hour journey to Kyiv via a specially designed luxury train known as the Train Force One. His return to the Polish border is also expected to take the same time.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reach the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv and meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Speaking at a press conference in Warsaw after holding talks with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk, PM Modi on Thursday said, "The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia are a deep concern for all of us. India firmly believes that no conflict can be resolved on the battlefield. The loss of innocent lives in any crisis has become the greatest challenge for all of humanity. We support dialogue and diplomacy for the swift restoration of peace and stability. For this, India is ready to provide all possible cooperation in conjunction with its friendly countries."

Before his Ukraine visit, PM Modi delivered a clear message of peace during his stay in Warsaw, Poland. He reiterated India's stance that "this is not an era of war" and stressed the need to resolve conflicts through diplomacy and dialogue. Modi highlighted India's commitment to peace, drawing on the nation's heritage as the land of Buddha, and called for global unity against threats to humanity.

India has maintained a neutral position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, refraining from condemning Russia's actions while advocating for a resolution through talks and diplomacy. PM Modi's visit to Ukraine comes nearly six weeks after his visit to Moscow, which faced criticism from the United States and some Western allies. Modi's engagements in Ukraine aim to strengthen bilateral ties and explore peaceful solutions to the ongoing conflict.

PM Modi embarked on a historic visit to Ukraine on Thursday, following a two-day trip to Poland. Invited by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, PM Modi emphasized the importance of a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict. This visit marks the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since its independence in 1991. Modi is traveling to Kyiv by train, a journey expected to take approximately 10 hours under tight security.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Ukraine on Thursday following a successful two-day visit to Poland, where he engaged in extensive discussions with Polish leaders. This marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since its independence in 1991.

"PM @narendramodi concludes a productive visit to Poland, setting a new milestone in bilateral relations. This high-level Prime Ministerial visit after four decades will widen and deepen India-Poland relations," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.