Prime Minister Narendra Modi has returned to Delhi this afternoon after a successful visit to Poland and Ukraine. During the visit, the Prime Minister held talks with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk in Warsaw. Both leaders decided to upgrade the relationship to a Strategic Partnership. They also reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral, regional, and international cooperation for a more stable, prosperous, and sustainable world. The two leaders also discussed important regional and global issues of mutual interest including the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia.

In Ukraine, Prime Minister Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a delegation-level meeting in Kyiv. During the meeting, four MoUs were signed to bolster bilateral ties in various fields, including community development projects in Ukraine, drug control standards, cultural exchange, and agriculture. Prime Minister Modi asserted that Ukraine and Russia must find ways to resolve the ongoing conflict between the two nations. Mr. Modi assured that India is ready to play an active role in every effort required to bring peace.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that India can be a key influence in the global diplomatic efforts to end the war between his country and Russia. Mr Zeleskyy’s comments came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his first trip to Ukraine, invited him to visit India during their bilateral talks in Kyiv yesterday.

The Ukrainian president addressed the Indian media after the bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi. During the bilateral talks, Mr. Modi told Mr. Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to find ways to end the ongoing war and that India had been on the side of peace since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022. Ukrainian President proposed India among a handful of Global South countries for hosting the second Ukraine peace summit and conveyed his idea to Mr. Modi.