Hiroshima, May 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday conveyed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that India will do everything possible to find a solution to the Ukraine conflict as the two leaders held in-person talks for the first time after Russia invaded the eastern European country 15 months back.
In the meeting that took place on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, the prime minister said that the war in Ukraine is a “very big issue” and that it has had many different impacts on the globe.
At the same time Modi told the Ukrainian leader that he does not see the conflict as a political or economic issue and that for him, it is an issue of humanity and human values.
“The war in Ukraine is a very big issue for the whole world. It has had many different impacts on the whole world. But I don’t see this as a political or economic issue. For me, this is an issue of humanity, an issue of human values,” Modi said.
“You know more than any of us the suffering caused by war, but when our students came back from Ukraine last year. I could understand the pain felt by you and Ukrainian citizens from the description of the circumstances they gave then,” he said. “I wish to assure you that India and I, in my personal capacity, will do whatever is possible to find a solution to this,” Modi said.
On his part, Zelenskyy briefed the Indian side in detail on his peace formula and urged New Delhi to join in its implementation.
In a tweet, Modi said he conveyed to the Ukrainian leader India’s “clear support” for dialogue and diplomacy to find a way forward and that New Delhi will continue extending humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine.
Since the Ukraine conflict began in February last year, Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Zelenskyy a number of times during which he insisted that the conflict should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
Modi also noted that over the past one-and-half years he had spoken to Zelenskyy many times but that they were meeting for the first time after the COP26 conference in Glasgow in 2021.
In his remarks, Zelenskky thanked India for supporting the “territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country” and for providing humanitarian aid. He also spoke about Ukraine’s need for mobile hospitals.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Modi appreciated Ukraine’s cooperation in the safe evacuation of Indian students and welcomed the decision by Ukrainian institutions to hold examinations in India for them. (PTI)
