PM Modi in Ukraine : Namo, who has been calling for talks to end the war in Ukraine, asserted - "India was never neutral in this war, we side with peace"

Energy trade with Russia came up during PM's talk with Zelenskyy: Jaishankar

PM Narendra Modi, who has been calling for talks to end the war in Ukraine since the conflict began in 2022, said, "India was never neutral in this war, we side with peace."  

Defence Cooperation

Underlining the importance of defence cooperation between India and Ukraine, the Leaders agreed to continue to work towards facilitating a stronger relationship between the defence entities in both countries, including through joint collaborations and partnerships for manufacturing in India and cooperation in emerging areas. 

The sides agreed to hold the 2nd meeting of the Indian-Ukrainian Joint Working Group on Military-Technical Cooperation, established under the 2012 Defence Cooperation Agreement, in the near future in India.

"Conflict is especially devastating for young children. My heart goes out to the families of the children who lost their lives and I pray that they find the strength to overcome their grief,' PM Modi tweeted.

Earlier today, a sombre PM Modi had met President Zelenskyy in Kyiv, with the two leaders shaking hands before PM Modi engulfed the Ukrainian President in a hug. As the duo toured the war-torn country's Martyrologist Exposition, the Indian leader's hand remained firmly on Zelenskyy's shoulder - a gesture of India's solidarity with Ukraine. 

In June this year, PM Modi met Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. During the meeting, PM Modi emphasised that India would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict and that the way to peace is through "dialogue and diplomacy".   

The Joint Statement says:  

"Prime Minister Modi and President Zelenskyy reiterated their readiness for further cooperation in upholding principles of international law, including the UN Charter, such as respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. They agreed on the desirability of closer bilateral dialogue in this regard.

The Indian side reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, as a part of which, India has attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, in June 2024.

"The Ukrainian side welcomed such participation by India and highlighted the importance of high-level Indian participation in the next Peace Summit."  

"President Zelensky and I had very productive discussions in Kyiv today. India is eager to deepen economic linkages with Ukraine. We discussed ways to boost cooperation in agriculture, technology, pharma and other such sectors. We also agreed to further cement cultural linkages," PM Modi tweeted.  

Both Leaders expressed mutual interest in working towards elevating bilateral relations from a comprehensive partnership to a strategic partnership in the future, the Joint Statement said. 

They reaffirmed their commitment to further developing bilateral ties for the benefit of the peoples of both countries based on mutual trust, respect, and openness.

The Leaders reviewed the steady and positive trajectory of bilateral ties that have strengthened significantly over the last three decades, and appreciated the role played by regular engagements between India and Ukraine at various levels, including their meetings in Apulia in June 2024 and in Hiroshima in May 2023 on the margins of the G7 Summits, the visit of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to New Delhi in March 2024, 

multiple interactions and telephone conversations between the External Affairs Minister of India and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; between the National Security Advisor of India and the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and the 9th round of Foreign Office Consultations held in Kyiv in July 2023, in enhancing mutual understanding, trust, and cooperation.

The Leaders appreciated the participation of Ukrainian official delegations in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024, and the Raisina Dialogue 2024.