Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday called on India to lend its support to Ukraine in its war with Russia and urged to refrain from taking a neutral or balancing stance in the crisis.
Speaking to reporters after holding wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kyiv, Zelenskyy also expressed his desire to visit India soon and reach out to Indians.
“Want India on our side to end the war and not do a balancing act. I want to visit India soon and reach out to Indian people. India has a big role to play in ending our war with Russia. India is an important country in the world and can have a big role in peace making,” the Ukrainian President said.
PM Modi arrived in Kyiv earlier in the day, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to visit war-torn Ukraine since its independence. PM Modi also held one-on-one and delegation-level talks with Zelenskyy with a focus on ways to find a negotiated settlement to the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has badly impacted the world.
When asked about his meeting with PM Modi, Zelenskyy said, “We had a very good meeting, in fact a historical one. It was not about me or PM Modi, but about both the nation and its people. I am very thankful to PM Modi for coming to Ukraine”.