Modi to visit Ukraine, weeks after Kyiv condemned Indian PM for hugging Putin in Moscow

CNN —

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Ukraine, officials said Monday, weeks after he made his first trip to Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

His forthcoming visit to Ukraine — also his first since the start of the war – comes at a crucial moment, as Kyiv’s troops push further into Russian territory in a shock military offensive that stunned even Kyiv’s closest allies.

Modi has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, without condemning Russia’s aerial campaign or denouncing the ground invasion. India has also abstained from all resolutions on Ukraine at the United Nations.

India remains heavily reliant on the Kremlin for its military equipment and has ramped up purchases of discounted Russian crude oil, giving Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nation a major financial lifeline as it faces isolation from the West.

Modi will visit Ukraine on August 23 at the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced Monday.

“The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi to Ukraine will provide an opportunity to hold discussions on the entire gamut of bilateral relations,” the ministry’s secretary for the West, Tanmaya Lal, said in a briefing.

The secretary reiterated that India has “maintained a very clear and consistent position that diplomacy and dialogue can resolve this conflict.” She said that “lasting peace” can only be achieved through a negotiated settlement.

Modi’s trip will also include a visit to Poland on August 21-22 – the first by an Indian prime minister in 45 years, the ministry said.

This photograph taken on 16 August, 2024, during a media tour organised by Ukraine, shows a destroyed vehicle next to a destroyed