Modi's historic visit to Kyiv: Key highlights

Contents:

• What is known about Modi's visit to Ukraine

• India's position on Russia-Ukraine war

(03:39 p.m.) Modi invited Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to visit India.

This was reported by Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

"We expect President Zelenskyy to visit India at his convenience," the minister added.

(03:25 p.m.) Modi stated that India is ready to make an active contribution to peace in Ukraine.

The Indian Prime Minister said he arrived in Ukraine "with a message of peace." He noted that during his visit to Moscow last month, he told President Vladimir Putin that "problems cannot be resolved on the battlefield."

"The only way of resolving problems is through dialogue and through diplomacy. And without losing any further time we should move in that direction. Both sides must sit together and look for ways to go out of this crisis," Modi believes.

Regarding bilateral relations between Kyiv and New Delhi, the Prime Minister reported "good progress" in this matter.

Earlier, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the President of Ukraine, told Reuters that Modi's visit to Kyiv is "significant," as 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," Podolyak noted.

(02:48 p.m.) Ukraine and India have signed documents on cooperation, including:

• A Memorandum of Understanding between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of India regarding Indian humanitarian grant assistance for community development effectiveness.
• An Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of India on cooperation in agriculture and the food industry.
• A Cultural Cooperation Program for 2024-2028.
• A Memorandum of Understanding between the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drug Control and the Central Drug Standards Control Organization of the Ministry of Health of India.

During the meeting with Modi, Zelenskyy also discussed a joint statement prepared for the visit of the Indian Prime Minister. It pertains to the development of strategic partnership between the countries, trade, and military-technical cooperation. The President described Modi's visit as "historic" and emphasized that cooperation in the aforementioned areas should be strengthened.

(02:40 p.m.) Modi is also accompanied in Kyiv by India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The latter made a statement calling the visit of the head of government "significant."

Jaishankar stated that the official meetings had just concluded and described the visit as significant. He noted that it was the first time an Indian Prime Minister had visited Ukraine since diplomatic relations were established in 1992. He also mentioned that the Prime Minister had arrived by special train that morning and was welcomed at Kyiv's railway station by the First Deputy Foreign Minister.

#WATCH Kyiv: EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "...In the discussion, a significant part of it was devoted to our bilateral relations. There was a discussion about trade, economic issues, defence, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, education. There were a whole lot of issues...The leaders… pic.twitter.com/CgBERA3kkX

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2024

(02:38 p.m.) RBC-Ukraine correspondent publishes photos from Modi's visit to Kyiv.

The Prime Minister arrived at the Mariinsky Palace with his delegation, where he was greeted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy along with Ukrainian officials. Bilateral documents were signed.

Photo: Modi was welcomed at the Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)

Modi also made an entry in the Guest Book.

(12:09 p.m.) A video of the meeting between Zelenskyy and Modi has appeared.

On Thursday, August 22, at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, the Indian Prime Minister learned about the multimedia project "Children…"—a martyrology of children killed during the full-scale Russo-Ukrainian war.

#WATCH PM Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy honour the memory of children at the Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv pic.twitter.com/oV8bbZ8bQh

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also shared footage of this visit.

"Together with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we honored the memory of the children whose lives were taken by Russian aggression. Children of every country deserve safety. We must make it possible," the head of state wrote in the video.

The leaders laid toys at the site of the multimedia martyrology and observed a moment of silence in memory of the young Ukrainian victims.

Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin told Zelenskyy and Modi about the history of this exhibit and Russian attacks on places where children are located, particularly the missile strike on the largest children's hospital, "Ohmatdyt."

Photo: Zelenskyy and Modi honored the memory of children who died as a result of Russian aggression (president.gov.ua)

(11:51). Modi laid flowers at the monument to Mahatma Gandhi, one of the leaders of India's national liberation movement.

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi in Ukraine's Kyiv pic.twitter.com/NbXTxGKKNx

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2024

Photo: Modi posted a photo on social networking site X near the Mahatma Gandhi monument in Kyiv (x.com/narendramodi)

(10:15). Ukrzaliznytsia showed how the Indian Prime Minister was welcomed at the train station in Kyiv.

As noted by Ukrzaliznytsia, before he visited Kyiv by Ukrzaliznytsia train, Modi called India a "friend and partner" of Ukraine and expressed hope for a "swift restoration of peace" and the deepening of "Indo-Ukrainian friendship."

(09:57). Modi published the first photos from his visit to Kyiv.

They show him being welcomed by the Indian community.

(08:53). Several foreign media outlets were the first to report the arrival of the head of the Indian government. A video showing the motorcade moving through one of the central streets of the Ukrainian capital has also been published online.

#BREAKING: Prime Minister @narendramodi reaches Ukraine’s Capital City of Kyiv on board the train Rail Force One. Indian diaspora welcomes PM Modi at Hotel Hyatt. Indian PM Narendra Modi becomes the first ever Indian PM to visit Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/85BmdWTBzj

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 23, 2024

The Times of India reported that Modi met with the Indian diaspora at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Kyiv.

What's known about Modi's visit to Ukraine

It should be noted that this is the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine in the history of bilateral relations. This is also Modi's first visit to Kyiv since the start of the full-scale Russo-Ukrainian war. Additionally, his arrival in Kyiv coincides with Ukraine's State Flag Day, the day before Ukraine's Independence Day.

Before his arrival in Kyiv, he held talks in Poland. Notably, the last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Poland was 45 years ago. In Ukraine, according to Bloomberg, the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Kyiv will be brief, lasting just a few hours due to security concerns.

Journalists learned beforehand that the visit would not include major announcements, but some agreements are expected, particularly in agriculture and defense. Currently, India is the largest importer of equipment and weapons systems, and Modi aims to change this by stimulating domestic production of defense products.

Moreover, Bloomberg learned that India agreed to relay messages between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. However, Modi excluded the possibility of becoming a mediator in ending the war.

Before his trip, the Indian Prime Minister called for the "restoration of peace" and announced that he would "share perspectives on ending the war between Ukraine and Russia."

"This visit will be an opportunity to build on the earlier discussions with him and deepening the India-Ukraine friendship. We will also share perspectives on the peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict. As a friend and partner," he wrote on social media platform X before the visit.

Zelenskyy and Modi are expected to hold talks during which they will discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Their last meeting was in June in Italy at the G7 summit, where the Ukrainian President congratulated the Indian Prime Minister on his election victory, and the leaders discussed the development of bilateral relations.

Furthermore, the signing of several documents between Ukraine and India is anticipated.

More about the purpose of Modi's trip to Ukraine and whether his visit will affect the course of the war is detailed in a separate RBC-Ukraine article.

India's position on Russia-Ukraine war

Official Ukrainian-Indian relations began on December 26, 1991, when India recognized Ukraine's independence, and diplomatic relations were established between the countries on January 17, 1992. Over the years, Ukraine and India have cooperated in almost all areas: economic, political, scientific-technical, defense, and cultural.

However, India's stance on the war may anger Ukrainians, as Indian companies continue to eagerly buy Russian oil, which has become cheaper due to Western sanctions. Additionally, India abstained during the UN General Assembly vote condemning Russia's full-scale invasion.

Thus, India seeks to maintain friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine. However, New Delhi's neutral position does not mean support for Kremlin actions, as the Indian side consistently emphasizes the need to adhere to international law.

As Reuters writes, Modi's visit to Kyiv is seen by many Indian analysts as an attempt to "control the damage" from his trip to Moscow. On July 8, 2024, the Indian Prime Minister visited Putin's residence in Novo-Ogaryovo and called the dictator a "friend." The meeting of the politicians took place on the same day that Russians attacked Kyiv and struck the children's hospital Ohmatdyt.

Zelenskyy, in turn, criticized Modi's meeting with the Russian dictator, calling it a "huge disappointment" and a "devastating blow to peace efforts." In response, India summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to discuss the Ukrainian President's comments.

Meanwhile, the United States expressed concern over India's ties with Russia. However, Washington hopes New Delhi will make it clear to Moscow that it must respect the UN Charter and Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

For more on the importance of the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Kyiv, read the RBC-Ukraine article "Mediating role not for India: Why Modi's visit to Kyiv is important."

Sources: the press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Facebook pages of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Reuters, Bloomberg, and other open source data.