Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a historic visit to Ukraine on Friday. This visit comes after Modi’s recent trip to Russia, where he hugged Russian President Vladimir Putin, sparking controversy.
The meeting between Modi and Zelenskyy will focus on boosting economic ties and cooperation in defense, science, and technology. Analysts suggest that Modi’s visit to Ukraine could be an attempt to appear as a neutral party, as India has been perceived as leaning towards Russia.
Modi’s visit to Ukraine is significant as it marks the first visit by a prime minister of India to the country since diplomatic relations were established over 30 years ago. The timing of the trip is seen as an effort to control fallout from Modi’s recent visit to Russia, which coincided with NATO meetings and Russian missile strikes in Ukraine.
India’s relationship with Russia has been strong since the Cold War, with Russia being a key trading partner for India. However, India’s ties to Ukraine are much lower in terms of bilateral trade. Despite this, India has provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since the invasion.
The trip is likely to be well-received in the U.S. and other Western countries that were critical of Modi’s meeting with Putin. While the visit may offer reassurance to the West, India’s closer relationship with Russia is expected to remain unchanged.
Overall, Modi’s visit to Ukraine is seen as an attempt to balance India’s foreign policy stance and maintain neutrality in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The outcome of the meeting between Modi and Zelenskyy will be closely watched by global observers.
