Tianjin (China): (Aug 30) India supports all efforts for the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a phone conversation on Saturday.
Modi is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with Putin on Monday on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in this Chinese city. The Ukraine conflict is expected to be one of the focus areas of the talks.
Zelenskyy dialled Modi and conveyed his readiness for a meeting with the top leadership of Russia and that the end of the war must begin with an immediate ceasefire.
The call came a day before Modi was likely to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, a closely watched trilateral engagement. Analysts say the three leaders have been converging over shared interests at a time when global markets are unsettled by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.
PM Modi landed in Tianjin, China, on Saturday ahead of the SCO Summit. “Thank President Zelenskyy for his phone call today. We exchanged views on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian aspect, and efforts to restore peace and stability. India extends full support to all efforts in this direction,” said PM Modi on X.
According to an official statement, Zelenskyy shared with the Prime Minister his perspective on the recent developments related to Ukraine. PM Modi thanked the Ukrainian leader and reaffirmed India’s steadfast and consistent position for a peaceful settlement of the conflict and support for efforts aimed at the earliest restoration of peace.
Zelenskyy said on Saturday that he informed PM Modi about his productive and important talks with Trump in the presence of European leaders, and reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I thank the Prime Minister for his words of condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. We coordinated our positions ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. The end of this war must begin with an immediate ceasefire, with the necessary silence. This position is understood and supported by everyone,” Zelenskyy said on X.
Zelenskyy asserted that India was “ready to make the necessary efforts and to deliver the appropriate signal to Russia and other leaders” ahead of the crucial SCO Summit.
His remarks underscore the significance of PM Modi’s visit to China, where he is expected to hold talks with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in what many describe as a show of strength against the tariff war waged by the United States under Donald Trump.
Various countries are battling US President Donald Trump’s trade war and brazen tariff threats, including New Delhi, which has been imposed with 50% levies. Russia is suffering from sanctions, while China faces the threat of 200% tariffs over the exports of rare-earth magnets. The United States has insisted that the tariffs on India are necessary to push Russia towards negotiations for a peace deal.
The leaders also reviewed progress in the India-Ukraine bilateral partnership and discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. They also discussed preparations for exchange of visits, and the holding of a meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission.
This was the second telephonic conversation between PM Modi and Zelenskyy this month. On August 11, PM Modi and Zelenskyy had a similar conversation, where the former reaffirmed New Delhi’s steadfast and consistent position for the peaceful settlement of the ongoing conflict. PM Modi also reiterated the same message to Putin during a phone call.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk hinted that Zelenskyy is expected to visit India, and a “precise date” was under discussion. PM Modi had invited Zelenskyy to India during his visit to Kyiv last year in August.
The leaders met for the first time since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war during the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20, 2023. During this meeting, PM Modi emphasised that the war was “an issue of humanity,” and reaffirmed India’s commitment to peace and humanitarian support.
