PM Modi likely to visit Ukraine in August; first since Russian invasion: Report

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely visit Ukraine on August 23, according to a report in India Today. PM Modi will meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during the visit.

This would be the Prime Minister's first visit to Ukraine since its war with Russia. It comes days after PM Modi visited Russia and met President Vladimir Putin during a two-day visit to Moscow on July 8-9, 2024. PM Modi was invited by Putin for the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit.

Zelenskyy had sharply reacted to PM Modi's Russia visit and meeting with Putin. In a post on X Zelenskyy referred to Russia's attack on that day, that killed at least 37 people, including three children, after a missile strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv.

“In Ukraine today, 37 people were killed, three of whom were children, and 170 were injured, including 13 children, as a result of Russia's brutal missile strike. A Russian missile struck the largest children's hospital in Ukraine, targeting young cancer patients. Many were buried under the rubble,” Zelenskyy said in the post

Prime Minister Modi was conferred with Russia's highest civilian honour, the Order of St Andrew the Apostle award by Putin for exceptional services in promoting bilateral ties between the two countries. Putin said the award is a 'testimony to Russia's sincere gratitude' for Modi's ‘significant contribution’ to strengthening ties between the two nations.

“You have always actively advocated broader contacts with our country. When you were the CM of Gujarat, you came up with initiatives to twinning your state with the Russian region,” Putin said.

PM Modi had last met Zelenskyy in June on the sidelines of the ongoing G-7 summit in Italy's Apulia region. The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine. PM Modi said then that he had a productive meeting with Zelenskyy.

Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, New Delhi has maintained that the conflict between the two neighbours must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.