Ukraine is suspicious of India’s proximity to Moscow. However, Kiev is also hoping for Indian support during a visit by Prime Minister Modi because the subcontinent has an important voice in world politics.
Only weeks after his controversial embrace with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The 73-year-old also embraced him during the first visit by an Indian head of government to independent Ukraine. Modi and Zelensky visited a memorial site for Ukrainian children killed in the war, where he laid down a doll.
India – the world’s most populous country – is officially neutral in the war. It does not support Western sanctions against Moscow and regularly calls for a conflict resolution through dialogue, but has so far made no concrete proposals. The subcontinent has good relations with the West and with Moscow, on which it is heavily dependent for its military equipment, although it is trying to reduce this dependence. During the war, India has also become one of the largest buyers of cheap Russian oil.
Modi had only visited Moscow in July – for the first time since the start of the war of aggression. The trip took place shortly after his re-election as head of government, which Russian media interpreted at the time as a sign of appreciation for relations with Russia. Images of the meeting, at which Modi and Putin embraced, went around the world and had a disturbing effect in many Western countries. Zelenskyj condemned Modi’s closeness to the Kremlin chief at the time. India, in turn, rejected the criticism. At the same time, however, Ukraine is also hoping for support from India because it is an important voice in global politics.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
