Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a historic visit to Ukraine today, marking the first time an Indian prime minister has traveled to Kyiv. During his visit, PM Modi met with President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Martyrologist Exposition, where the leaders shared a hug and handshake.

The two leaders are set to engage in both one-on-one and delegation-level discussions, focusing on finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. PM Modi arrived in Kyiv after a ten-hour journey on the ‘Rail Force One’ train from Poland, completing the second leg of his two-nation tour.

This visit comes nearly six weeks after PM Modi’s significant trip to Russia, where he held extensive talks with President Vladimir Putin aimed at ending the conflict. During his June meeting with President Zelensky at the G7 summit in Italy, PM Modi emphasized India’s commitment to supporting a peaceful resolution and reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy are essential for peace.

In their earlier interactions, PM Modi had expressed India’s belief in a “human-centric” approach to resolving the conflict, and the Ukrainian President had extended an invitation for him to visit Kyiv.

Earlier on Thursday, PM Modi also met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. During their discussion, he voiced deep concern over the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, reiterating that “dialogue and diplomacy” are crucial for achieving peace. He stressed that resolving conflicts through battle is not viable and that the loss of innocent lives remains a significant humanitarian challenge.