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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday deemed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia aimed at strengthening ties with Moscow as damaging to peace in Ukraine.
Hours after condemning the Russian attack on social media, Zelenskiy said: “It is a great disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy embracing the world’s most bloodthirsty criminals in Moscow” about the Ukrainian city.
Zelensky called the enthusiasm shown by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards Russian President Vladimir Putin “very disappointing.” In recent months, Ukraine has been trying to gain support for its cause from India and other major countries of the so-called “global south.”
India sent a statement to the Kiev-led Swiss peace summit mid-last month but did not sign the final communique because it did not propose a solution “acceptable to both sides of the war.” Southern hemisphere countries such as India have maintained ties with Ukraine but continue to have close relations with Russia.
Good friends
Modi arrived in Moscow on Monday and said he wanted to strengthen the “privileged strategic partnership” with Russia during his first visit to Russia since the outbreak of the Ukrainian war in February 2022.
“I look forward to reviewing with my friend President Vladimir Putin various aspects of bilateral cooperation and sharing views on a variety of regional and global issues,” the Indian leader said, adding that the aim was to support “a peaceful and stable region.”
A Russian delegation led by First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov welcomed Modi at the airport.
Modi’s trip, which ended yesterday, was his first in his third term as prime minister after the Bharatiya Janata Party, the political force he leads, won the election but fell short of an outright majority in legislation. Modi last visited Russia in 2019.
Last week, Indian Foreign Minister Vinay Kotwat announced that Putin and Modi would address the situation of Indian citizens who were recruited to serve in the Russian army during the war in Ukraine.
Indian authorities have called for the termination of the contracts of several Indian citizens employed by Russian forces in “support work”, despite the deaths of at least four in the fighting.
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