Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Kyiv in August, his first trip to Ukraine since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.
The visit is tentatively scheduled to coincide with Ukraine’s Independence Day and comes after an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this year.
Sources familiar with the matter indicate that the visit is still being finalised, pending confirmation from the Ministry of External Affairs.
This potential visit follows an uptick in high-level diplomatic exchanges between India and Ukraine, including recent discussions between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, alongside talks between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Yermak.
Jaishankar highlighted that the discussions aimed to "further develop our bilateral relationship," reflecting a renewed focus on diplomatic engagement. In June, Modi met Zelenskyy at the G7 summit in Italy, where they exchanged views on the ongoing conflict and reiterated India's commitment to a peaceful resolution through "dialogue and diplomacy."
Earlier this month, Modi engaged in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, reinforcing India-Russia strategic ties amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
During this visit, Modi expressed his deep concern regarding the loss of innocent lives, particularly following a tragic missile strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv, which resulted in numerous fatalities.