Ukraine’s Ambassador to India Oleksandr Polishchuk on Saturday confirmed that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit India soon, with both sides working to finalise the dates following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The Indian Prime Minister invited Zelensky to come to India. Both sides are working on this. We expect President Zelenskyy to be in India, definitely. It will be a great achievement in our bilateral relationship. We are trying to agree on a precise date,” Polishchuk said while speaking to the media on Ukraine’s National Flag Day.
The envoy said Kyiv views India as a significant partner in peace negotiations because of its longstanding ties with Moscow and urged New Delhi to play a greater role in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. “We expect more Indian involvement in the peace-building process in Ukraine, definitely in the political negotiation with the Russians,” he said.
Polishchuk noted that India’s position on the conflict aligns with Ukraine’s vision of a peaceful settlement. “India supports peace and dialogue, and discussions with all partners and with the Russian Federation with the aim to achieve peace in Ukraine,” he said. He recalled Prime Minister Modi’s earlier remark that India is “not neutral” but firmly on the side of peace and dialogue.
The Ambassador added that relations between India and Ukraine have strengthened since 2023, and both sides are exploring the possibility of a future strategic partnership. “In relation to the declaration about the future strategic partnership between India and Ukraine, believe me, we have potential for that,” he said.
He further said India had engaged “very intensely” with Ukraine over the past year, and that Prime Minister Modi and President Zelenskyy had held several discussions during meetings at the United Nations.
Commenting on broader diplomatic efforts, Polishchuk stressed that Kyiv remained open to dialogue depending on Moscow’s approach and support from the West. “The United States is one of our biggest supporters. My President clearly sent the message after the Alaska meeting that we are ready for talks,” he said.
Zelenskyy recently held peace talks with US President Donald Trump, following Trump’s earlier meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The Ukrainian envoy said Kyiv hoped India would assume a more active role in global efforts to end the conflict, given its close relationship with Moscow. He added that the matter could also see progress during the upcoming UN General Assembly session in September.
Last week, Zelenskyy extended greetings to Prime Minister Modi and the people of India on the occasion of the nation’s 79th Independence Day. He expressed hope that India would play a vital role in global peace efforts, particularly in bringing an end to the war with Russia.
In August 2024, Prime Minister Modi visited Ukraine and offered India’s help to bring peace “as a friend.”
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