PM MODI’S FIRST HISTORIC VISIT TO
MODERN UKRAINE FOR WAR PEACE
PM Narendra Modi was on a one-day official
visit to Ukraine on 23 August 2024 at the invitation of Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky amid the Russia-Ukraine war. Before leaving New Delhi, Modi
said that as 'a friend and partner' 'we' hope for an early restoration of peace
and stability in the region. PM Modi arrived in Kyiv after a 10-hour train
journey from Poland under tight security.
PM Modi has visited
Ukraine about a month after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had expressed displeasure over
PM Modi's visit to Russia. The US and some of its Western allies also criticized
him. The Prime Minister has been appealing for a solution to the conflict
through dialogue and diplomacy instead of condemning the Russian invasion of
Ukraine.
Prime Minister Modi and President Volodymyr Zelensky
held a joint meeting. Earlier, PM Modi met President Zelensky on the occasion
of G7 in Italy. The purpose of the talks was to find ways to resolve the
conflict in Ukraine. It was also an opportunity to deepen India-Ukraine
friendship. The Prime Minister said we should move forward in this direction
without wasting time. Both sides should sit together to get out of this crisis.
He requested Zelensky to hold talks with Russia.
India has always favored peace and wants a peaceful solution to every problem. Moving forward on this mantra, efforts are being made to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict through diplomacy. The purpose of PM Modi's visit to Ukraine was to convey India's message of peace to President Zelensky.
War Cannot Be the Solution
Seeing the deepening conflict between the two
countries in the last 2.5 years, the Prime Minister had given a clear message
during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow that
problems between countries cannot be solved through war. If people are losing
their lives due to war, then this is the biggest challenge for humanity.
PM Modi had told President Putin that the
Russia-Ukraine war needs to be stopped soon. India has always wanted to
establish peace by believing in diplomacy and dialogue. Some consider this as a
sign of India's strong diplomacy while some are seeing it as pressure from
Western countries.
Ukrainian professor Kateryna Dovbnya said
that PM Modi's visit is very important, especially in the current context. She
expressed hope that PM Modi will help bring peace. The statement issued from
Zelensky's office also said there should be a justifiable end to the war for
Ukraine.
Robin Sachdev, a foreign affairs expert and
president of the think tank The Imaginedia Institute, says that although there
is no doubt that Modi is closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin than
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the reason for this is not only PM Modi
but also Russia's old relationship with India. Still, Ukraine is as important
for India as Russia is.
The First Visit of an Indian PM since Ukraine's
Independence in 1991.
Ukraine gained independence 33 years ago i.e.
in 1991. Ukraine became independent when the disintegration of Soviet Russia
started. Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe after Russia. It is
located on the Dnieper River. It chose Kyiv as its capital. The legislature of
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) declared complete independence
on 24 August 1991. Earlier, many parts of it were ruled by Poland, Romania, and
Czechoslovakia.
This is the first visit of an Indian Prime
Minister to Ukraine after its independence in 1991. This visit of PM Modi has
attracted the attention of the whole world. Many countries around the world are eagerly and hopefully watching Prime Minister Modi's visit to Ukraine.
Many countries of the world have tried to
stop the war but have not been successful yet. His visit can prove to be an
important milestone in resolving the Russia-Ukraine war.
A Big Challenge for the Diplomatic Unity of the India-Russia
India, Russia, and the USA are at
loggerheads. The West has openly pressured India to reduce its ties with
Russia, which India has refused. The West is unhappy with India but does not
want to cross the line and isolate it on this issue.
It is true that India has refrained from
blaming Russia for the war and has refrained from condemning Russia's 'special
military operation' in Ukraine. This is why India has always urged neighboring
countries to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
However, while worrying
about India's relations with Russia, the US wants to strengthen its relations
with India to reduce the growing influence of China. In such a situation, India
wants to deepen its relations with Western countries politically, economically,
and technologically, but it also wants to maintain its foreign policy
independence. This is a delicate situation for India.
Peace Initiative Will Begin Only When Both
Countries Want to Do So
India has shown a lot of courage by giving a
message of peace through this visit. Because Zelensky had criticized PM Modi's
last visit to Russia, now, he is feeling embarrassed about his statement. The
peace initiative will start only when both countries want to do so.
If both countries can make this initiative
possible, then India can also join the peace talks. India's participation will
be in Russia's interest. Because other Western countries will also be involved
in it. Russia will feel that at least one of our old friends is in it. Yet, it
will largely depend on Russia and Ukraine whether both sides expect mediation
from India or not.
PM Modi's visit to Ukraine is being seen as
an exercise to end the war. PM Modi's visit to Poland also took place in the
wake of the Russia-Ukraine war. However, foreign affairs experts say that this
is a part of India's diplomacy. This does not mean that the fight between
Russia and Ukraine will end.
Moreover, Ukraine views Modi’s visit as an
important opportunity to reiterate its position on Russian aggression in its
traditionally close ties with Moscow. Both leaders described the visit as
"historic". "This visit is very friendly and important for all
Ukrainians," Zelensky told reporters.
If India supports Ukraine's approach to a
peace settlement, it could increase Kyiv's chances of getting more support from
other countries in the "Global South", where India remains China's
main rival for influence. This would further increase pressure on Russia.
Zelenskyy will also prioritize ending the war as soon as possible and
establishing genuine peace.
Four Agreements Were Signed Between the Two Countries
India and Ukraine also signed four agreements
during PM Modi's visit; the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of
Agriculture and Food Industry; the MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Medical
Products Regulation; the MoU on Indian Humanitarian Grant Assistance for
Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects; and the Programme
for Cultural Cooperation for 2024-2028.
During the meeting with Zelensky, PM Modi
gave him BHISHMA (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hit, and Maitri) cubes.
India has said that these cubes will help in providing immediate treatment to
the injured and saving lives. According to India's Ministry of External
Affairs, each BHISHMA cube will be equipped with basic medicines and medical
equipment to deal with all kinds of injuries and medical conditions. It will
have the surgical instruments required for a basic operation room. Ten to
fifteen surgeries can be performed in it in a day.
Journalist and political commentator Vitaly
Portnikov believes that Modi's visit to Ukraine's 'National Flag Day' is a
signal to Vladimir Putin that India supports Ukraine's sovereignty. He believes
that India stands by its stance that 'war' as a policy is unacceptable to
India. This shows India's independent foreign policy, but it will also be a
signal to Putin.
The global media has covered Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's visit to Ukraine and his meeting with President Volodymyr
Zelensky as a positive move. The US has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
visit to Ukraine, saying that it could be helpful if it helps end the ongoing
conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
It hailed the two leaders' move to upgrade
the bilateral relationship from a comprehensive partnership to a strategic
partnership in the future. The Prime Minister's visit to Kyiv after his Moscow
visit has attempted to signal that he will continue to seek a strategic balance
between India's decades-old ties with Russia and relations with the United
States and the rest of the world.
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