Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has arrived in Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Modi’s visit on Friday, August 23, 2024, is the first by an Indian leader since Ukraine’s independence.

The Indian leader’s arrival in Kyiv, a day ahead of Ukraine’s independence day, follows his two-day trip to Poland, where he elevated India’s ties with the NATO member.

During his visit to Ukraine, Modi is expected to discuss issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Zelenskyy and documents would be signed.

According to annual data from Ukraine, officials from both countries have in recent months expressed interest in restoring trade, which has dropped during the war.

Tanmaya Lal, Secretary (West) in the Indian foreign ministry, also disclosed, “This landmark visit, of course, takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which will also form part of discussions.”

“Lasting peace can only be achieved through options that are acceptable to both parties. And it can only be a negotiated settlement,” he stated.

The war in Ukraine is at a volatile juncture, with Ukrainian forces still in Russia’s western Kursk region following their incursion on August 6, 2024, and Russian troops grinding out slow but steady advances in Ukraine’s east.

“This is an important visit that is expected to catalyse our ties in a whole range of sectors,” Lal noted, listing economic and business links, agriculture, infrastructure, health and education, pharmaceuticals, defence and culture.

Modi’s visit to Ukraine also comes just weeks after he traveled to Moscow in a symbolic first overseas trip of his new term as leader, where he held talks with President Vladimir Putin.

His visit to Moscow last month coincided with a heavy Russian missile strike on Ukraine that hit a children’s hospital.

The attack prompted Modi to use emotive language to deliver an implicit rebuke to Putin at their summit.

However, the trip elicited fierce criticism from Zelenskyy who said that it was a “huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day.”

New Delhi has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and peace in Ukraine but has refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion as it seeks to maintain relations with Moscow – a major supplier of its arms and a longstanding partner it sees as key to balancing its strained relationship with China.

India has also acted as an economic lifeline for Russia, ramping up purchases of its crude oil after countries around the world slapped sanctions on Moscow, isolating it economically.

Modi’s Visit Deemed Significant

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser in the Ukrainian President’s office, told a news agency that Modi’s visit to Kyiv was significant because New Delhi “really has a certain influence” over Moscow.

“It’s extremely important for us to effectively build relations with such countries, to explain to them what the correct end to the war is – and that it is also in their interests,” he said.

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Fesenko, a Kyiv-based political analyst, said that he expected no breakthrough proposals to be made to end the war during the trip by Modi.

He said that for there to be an attempt to negotiate, the military situation has to stabilise and the presidential election must be held in the United States, a close ally of Ukraine.

He added that the visit was important for India to demonstrate it was “not on Russia’s side” and that Kyiv wanted to normalise relations after Modi’s Moscow trip.