Volodymyr Zelensky may visit India next month amid continued efforts to broker peace in Ukraine. Discussions have reportedly been underway for multiple weeks — continuing even as Russian President Vladimir Putin made a closely-watched visit to New Delhi earlier this week. India has found itself walking a diplomatic tightrope amidst the Ukraine war as it strove to maintain ties with Moscow and simultaneously assuage Western concerns.
According to an Indian Express report, New Delhi has been in touch with Kyiv for several weeks, with efforts underway to arrange an official visit. Sources told the publication that the timing and scope of the proposed visit would depend on multiple factors — including the US-led efforts to broker peace in Ukraine. The Zelensky-led government is also facing domestic pressure amidst a massive corruption scandal.
Vladimir Putin visits India
The Russian leader held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended a key Summit during a brief trip to India this week. The PM personally received Putin at the airport — greeting him with a bear hug and enthusiastic handshake — as he arrived in Delhi. Modi also hosted a private dinner for his Russian counterpart and held elaborate talks before announcing a significant expansion of trade ties. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the overarching focus of the summit was to expand and strengthen the economic dimension of the India-Russia partnership to advance towards the shared goal of reaching $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
Russia-India-Ukraine ties
Several European nations have urged India to use its strong ties with Moscow to push for an end to the conflict since war broke out more than three years ago. New Delhi maintains that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable solution — insisting that the country was not neutral but “on the side of peace”. PM Modi has also stayed in touch with both Putin and Zelensky since the war began in February 2022. He has spoken to Zelenskyy by phone at least eight times, and the two leaders have met on at least four occasions.
