India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has told Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy that New Delhi had not been neutral or an indifferent bystander and was always on the side of peace.
This came as the Modi met with Zelenskyy as part of his visit to Kyiv.
The Indian Prime Minister stated that his country is ready to make proactive contributions towards peace efforts.
“I want to assure you that India is ready to play an active role in any efforts towards peace. If I can play any role in this personally, I will do that I want to assure you as a friend.”
Narendra Modi
Also, he told Zelenskyy that he supported and respected territorial integrity and sovereignty but added that the only way to resolve the conflict was through dialogue and diplomacy.
“The road to resolution can only be found through dialogue and diplomacy and we should move in that direction without wasting any time. Both sides should sit together to find a way out of this crisis.”
Narendra Modi
The Ukrainian side welcomed such participation by India and highlighted the importance of high-level Indian participation in the next Peace Summit.
In their meeting, the leaders had comprehensive discussions on the entire spectrum of bilateral ties and exchange of views on regional and global issues of shared interest.
They expressed mutual interest in working towards elevating bilateral relations.
They discussed enhancement of cooperation in areas such as trade and commerce, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, defence, education, science and technology, and culture
They also agreed to continue to work towards facilitating a stronger relationship between the defence entities in both countries.
Prime Minister Modi thanked President Zelenskyy for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation during the visit and invited him to visit India at a mutually convenient opportunity.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy disclosed, “We reached an agreement on four documents between Ukraine and India, covering the medical field, agricultural cooperation, humanitarian relations, and culture.”
Addressing Modi’s visit, the Ukrainian leader said, “India supports Ukraine’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
He added, “And this is critical because everyone in the world must equally respect the UN Charter.”
Modi Pays Tribute To Gandhi
Ahead of his talks with Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in ‘Oasis of Peace’ park in Kyiv.
Modi underscored the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s eternal message of peace in building a harmonious society.
He also visited the country’s Martyrologist Exposition along with Zelenskyy to honour the memory of children who lost their lives in the conflict.
Modi was profoundly moved by the poignant exhibit commemorating the children who lost their lives in the conflict.
He expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of young lives and, as a gesture of respect, placed a toy in their memory.
“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.”
Narendra Modi
Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin informed Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Narendra Modi about the history of the exhibition and the Russian attacks on places where children are present, including the missile strike on the largest children’s hospital, Okhmatdyt.
The multimedia project was created in June 2022 on the Day of Remembrance of Children Killed by Russia’s Armed Aggression Against Ukraine.
The martyrology features the names and photographs of the young Ukrainians killed by Russia.
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, 570 Ukrainian children have been killed.
However, this number is not final, as complete information from the temporarily occupied territories is unavailable. The number of victims continues to grow due to constant Russian attacks.
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