US and India Discuss Ukraine Peace Ahead of Modi’s Upcoming Kyiv Visit

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during the Quad Summit in Tokyo on July 28 to discuss, among other topics, a "just and enduring peace" for Ukraine, according to a US State Department spokesperson.

This discussion on Ukraine coincides with reports that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Kyiv in August, marking his first trip to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

During their meeting, which also addressed economic development in the Indo-Pacific region, Blinken "underscored the importance of realizing a just and enduring peace for Ukraine consistent with the UN Charter," stated Matthew Miller, the US State Department spokesperson.

In June, Modi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Italy at the G7 summit, where they talked about the ongoing war in Ukraine. Modi stressed the need for "dialogue and diplomacy" and reiterated India's commitment to supporting a peaceful resolution, according to an official summary of the meeting.

New Delhi has maintained its economic partnership with Moscow despite the ongoing aggression, which has drawn criticism from Western nations. Earlier this month, Modi visited Vladimir Putin in Moscow to strengthen bilateral relations.

Following sanctions imposed on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, India has emerged as a significant buyer of Russian oil, second to China, and is purchasing it using Indian rupees, dirhams, and Chinese yuan.