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PM MODI’S FIRST HISTORIC VISIT TO

 MODERN UKRAINE FOR WAR PEACE

                   Courtesy: PIB

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.