The Russia-Ukraine War: Both Putin and Zelenski invite PM Modi after LS polls
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is probably the only world leader whom both Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Volodomyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, who have been at war since February 24, 2022, have invited to visit their respective countries after the ongoing parliamentary elections in India.
Their invitations came on Wednesday when PM Modi spoke to the two Presidents, reiterating India’s commitment to peace amid the ongoing war between the two neighbors, the media reported on Thursday.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi said he congratulated President Putin on his re-election. “We agreed to work together to further deepen and expand India-Russia Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership in the years ahead,” he said.
In another post, the PM said he spoke to President Zelenskyy also on strengthening the India-Ukraine partnership.
“Conveyed India’s consistent support for all efforts for peace and bringing an early end to the ongoing conflict. India will continue to provide humanitarian assistance guided by our people-centric approach,” PM Modi said.
In response, Zelenskyy said, “I spoke with Prime Minister @NarendraModi to express gratitude for India’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, humanitarian aid, and active participation in Peace Formula meetings. It will be important for us to see India attend the inaugural Peace Summit, which is currently being prepared in Switzerland.”
“We discussed the development of our bilateral relations, which should include a meeting of our teams and a session of the intergovernmental commission on cooperation in New Delhi in the nearest future,” he added.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine is interested in strengthening trade and economic ties with India, particularly in “agricultural exports, aviation cooperation, and pharmaceutical and industrial product trade.”
He also said that Kyiv wishes to welcome Indian students back to Ukrainian educational institutions.
New Delhi airlifted hundreds of Indian students back to India after the war broke out in Ukraine in February 2022.
In September 2022, PM Modi tried to usher in peace between the two neighbors when he told President Putin that “this is not an era of war,” a sentiment later echoed by the G-20 Summit Communique in September 2023.
PM Modi is currently seeking his third consecutive term in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The seven-phase elections will take place from April 19 to June 1. Results will be declared on June 4.
India has maintained a strategic neutrality over the Russia-Ukraine war despite the global outcry over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
While India has abstained from several UN votes criticizing Putin’s actions, New Delhi has not shied away from expressing its discomfort with the situation. It declined Russia’s request for support in a Security Council resolution on Ukraine and condemned the atrocities against Ukrainian civilians in Bucha, calling for an international investigation.
