White House Says PM Modi's Visit To Ukraine Potentially "Helpful"

The United States said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to conflict-hit Ukraine is "potentially helpful", news agency AFP reported quoting the White House. Prime Minister Modi today arrived in Ukraine after a seven-hour-long train journey from Poland. He is the first Indian leader to visit the country since bilateral relations were established in 1992. 

The Prime Minister's visit comes at a time when the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has entered a new phase with Kyiv crossing the international border and taking control of several Russian settlements in Kursk.

If Prime Minister Modi's Ukraine trip can work toward "getting us to an end to the conflict that comports with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky's vision for a just peace, well, then we think that would be helpful," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

The United States had termed the Prime Minister's visit to Ukraine an important trip. Richard R Verma, the US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources in a briefing had said, "I am delighted about this visit. I think this is an important visit -- Poland and Ukraine."

In a joint statement issued today, both leaders expressed their mutual interest in elevating bilateral relations from a comprehensive partnership to a strategic partnership in the future.

Read the full statement: PM Modi Holds Talks With Ukraine President In Kyiv. Full Joint Statement

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, was bound to be the focus of the meeting. The Prime Minister reiterated India's stance that this is "not the era of war". India has emphasized dialogue and diplomacy to find solutions to conflict. 

In the joint statement as well India reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. The Ukrainian side welcomed such participation by India and highlighted the importance of high-level Indian participation in the next Peace Summit.

The sides agreed to explore the possibility of the involvement of Indian companies in Ukraine's reconstruction and recovery, in a suitable manner.

Today, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a press briefing in Kyiv, answering questions on the Prime Minister's visit. When asked whether India suggested a plan to end the conflict, he said, "We have been having our own thoughts and discussions with many other countries. The Prime Minister was in Moscow recently; there were detailed discussions there," Mr Jaishankar said. "PM Modi shared many of the thoughts and substance of the discussion. We heard from President Zelensky about what his own views were on these issues. So it was a very back-and-forth discussion," the External Affairs Minister said.

"To my mind, there was certainly information which we obtained here and I am sure we also perhaps brought up points and flagged issues," he added.

Read more: Did India Suggest Plan To End Ukraine Conflict? What S Jaishankar Said

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia, where he held bilateral talks with President Putin. A month later, the Prime Minister visited Ukraine. 

The ties between India and Russia go back several decades, where the partnership covering several sectors like defence, energy, and bilateral trade. India has maintained ties with Ukraine, which came into existence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Thousands of Indian students used to travel to Ukraine to study medicine.

At the United Nations, India has reiterated its stance that it consistently called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to the violence but Delhi has maintained close ties with Moscow at a time when the West has sided with Ukraine. 

PM Modi last met Mr Zelensky in June on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy's Apulia. In the meeting, he conveyed to the Ukrainian President that India would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict