Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue in Kyiv, Ukraine on Friday.
Underscoring the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s message of peace in building a harmonious society, he noted that the path shown by him offered solutions to present-day global challenges.
Mahatma Gandhi’s statue, located in ‘Oasis of Peace’ park in Kyiv, serves as a beacon of hope and peace for humanity.
PM Modi also visited the multimedia Martyrologist exposition on children at the National Museum of History of Ukraine in Kyiv. President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy accompanied him.
President Zelenskyy and PM Modi paid homage at the Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv. PM Modi was profoundly moved by the poignant exhibit commemorating the children who lost their lives in the conflict. He expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of young lives and, as a gesture of respect, placed a toy in their memory. “Conflict is particularly devastating for young children. My heart goes out to the families of children who lost their lives, and I pray that they find the strength to endure their grief,” tweeted PM Modi.
PM Modi will hold a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This visit will focus on boosting economic ties and cooperation in defense, science and technology. But analysts say the visit could also be an attempt to have India strike a more neutral stance after what has been seen as a lean toward Russia.
“The Indian community accorded a very warm welcome,” PM Modi said on the social media platform X.
Resolving Russia-Ukraine conflict
Andriy Yermak, chief of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, observed PM Modi’s visit as “historic” and emphasized Ukraine’s expectation that India could play a role in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine with a “just peace,” referring to Ukraine’s peace formula.
“But now it’s necessary to say who is the aggressor, who is the victim. ”Before arriving in Ukraine, Modi urged diplomatic efforts to end the war during a visit to Poland on Thursday, pledging India’s support and saying that no conflict can be solved on a battlefield.
PM Modi’s arrival came a month and a half after Zelenskyy criticized his visit to Moscow in July, when he met with Putin on the day Russian missiles struck across Ukraine, killing scores of people.
Zelenskyy described that meeting as a “huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts.” He also chided Modi for hugging Putin during their meeting.
India has avoided condemning Russia’s invasion and instead has urged Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
PM Modi’s visit is the first by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since the two countries established diplomatic relations over 30 years ago.
(With inputs from agencies)