Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Visit Ukraine, Media Reports Say

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to visit Ukraine in August 2024. According to media reports, Modi’s visit is expected to take place in the last week of August, marking his first visit to the country since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The invitation for Modi to visit Ukraine was extended by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a telephone conversation earlier this year. Modi and Zelenskyy previously met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy in June 2024, where they discussed the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

During his visit, Modi is expected to meet with Ukrainian officials to discuss bilateral relations and the current state of affairs in Ukraine. It is anticipated that Modi will travel to Kyiv via Poland, where he is also expected to hold discussions with Polish leaders.

Other global leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have previously visited Kyiv.

Earlier, on July 8, 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia, where he met with the self-proclaimed President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, at his residence near Moscow. The visit occurred against the backdrop of a large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukrainian cities, resulting in at least 38 deaths and over 170 injuries. This sparked significant criticism, especially from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who condemned Modi’s visit as a “disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts.”

On July 19, 2024, the first conversation took place between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, following Modi’s visit to Russia. The ministers discussed the further development of bilateral relations, emphasizing the commitment of both countries to strengthen cooperation and maintain dialogue.