PM Modi’s historic visit to Ukraine
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handshake followed by a warm hug with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was all over social media as the two leaders met in Kiev on Friday. Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ukraine, while greeting the Ukrainian President, went a notch higher, sharing a warm hug and keeping his hand on his shoulder as the two visited a memorial in memory of children killed in the ongoing war with Russia. This comes six weeks after Modi’s 48-hour visit to Russia for the annual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A similar hug and firm handshake with Russia’s leader became one of the lasting images of his trip to Moscow amid criticism from the West and Ukraine. With this visit, PM Modi has made it clear that India is not taking sides but backing a peaceful resolution between the two countries engaged in a war for over two and a half years.
India has faced criticism from the West for its visit to Russia. The US ambassador to India had said that India’s relationship with the US should not be “taken for granted”. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said he was “disappointed to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy embrace the world’s most bloodthirsty criminal in Moscow”.
That was then. Today’s embrace set the tone that India is committed to working towards ending the ongoing war through a peaceful solution and that it will work with both sides to end the conflict.
“We also discussed the ongoing conflict. It is of utmost importance that peace is maintained. A peaceful solution to the conflict is in the best interest of humanity,” PM Modi posted on X.
Prime Minister Modi visited the Martyrology of Children exhibition at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in Kyiv. It was created in memory of the children who lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.
“The Prime Minister was deeply moved by the touching exhibition that was set up in memory of the children who lost their lives in the conflict. He expressed his sorrow at the tragic loss of young lives and, as a mark of respect, placed a toy in their memory,” the Foreign Office said in a post on X.
A crowd had gathered at the venue to welcome Prime Minister Modi, some carrying placards reading: “Old India should save the world.”
Prime Minister Modi visits Russia
In Russia, Prime Minister Modi was greeted by Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov upon his arrival at Moscow airport. The gesture did not go unnoticed as social media users pointed out that Chinese President Xi Jinping was greeted by a lower-ranking official than Manturov during his visit.
President Putin welcomed PM Modi with a warm and lingering hug that went viral on social media, followed by a ‘Chai pe Charcha’ at Putin’s dacha and then watching a horse show. Putin was also seen driving PM Modi around his residence on a golf cart.
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