Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's commitment to an early resolution of the conflict in Ukraine and the restoration of peace and stability in the region, when he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Modi is in New York during the last leg of his three-day visit to the US. Modi met Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nation's landmark Summit of the Future on Monday.
The Monday night meeting between the two leaders was the third in as many months. Prior to this meeting, Modi visited the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv on August 23. In June, he spoke to Zelenskyy in person during their visit to Apulia in Italy as part of the G7 summit.
'-Reiterate resolution-'
"Met President @ZelenskyyUa in New York. We are committed to implementing the outcomes of my visit to Ukraine last month to strengthen bilateral relations. Reiterated India's support for early resolution of the conflict in Ukraine and restoration of peace and stability," Modi said in a post on X.
Met President @ZelenskyyUa in New York. We are committed to implementing the outcomes of my visit to Ukraine last month to strengthen bilateral relations. Reiterated India’s support for early resolution of the conflict in Ukraine and restoration of peace and stability. pic.twitter.com/YRGelX1Gl5
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 23, 2024
He further said, "India's clear, consistent and constructive approach in favour of a peaceful resolution of the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue as well as engagement between all stakeholders," according to the press release. The prime minister also conveyed that India remains open to providing "all support within its means to facilitate a lasting and peaceful resolution of the conflict".
'-Grateful for Modi's support-'
"We are actively developing our relations and working together to strengthen cooperation across various fields. The main focus of our conversation was on enhancing our interaction on international platforms, particularly at the UN and G20, as well as implementing the Peace Formula and preparing for the second Peace Summit. We had a substantive discussion on the available opportunities," Zelenskyy wrote on X.
"I am grateful for the clear support of our sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.
This is already the third bilateral meeting this year with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi @narendramodi. We are actively developing our relations and working together to strengthen cooperation across various fields.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 23, 2024
The main focus of our conversation was on enhancing… pic.twitter.com/cn7ao2Qp3f
'-Ukraine wanted the meet-'
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri who is in New York for the bilateral visit said Zelenskyy appreciated India's interest in restoring peace and ending the conflict in Ukraine. "He thanked the prime minister for his efforts in finding a way out of it," Misri said.
The meeting "gave an opportunity to take stock again of the recent developments," Misri said, adding that both sides also appreciated the positive momentum on a lot of issues in the bilateral relationship and agreed to stay in close touch. Responding to a question, Misri also said the meeting was requested by the Ukrainian side.
'Bilateral ties reviewed'
The official social media handle of the Prime Minister's Office said PM Modi held talks with Zelenskyy, wherein they took stock of the bilateral ties between both countries. "The PM reaffirmed India's commitment to promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict, emphasising the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward," the post on X read.
"PM @narendramodi met President @ZelenskyyUa of Ukraine, today on the sidelines of UNGA in New York. The leaders exchanged views on bilateral ties. They also discussed the situation in Ukraine. PM reiterated India's willingness to play a constructive role in the quest for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy," the official account of the MEA said in a post on X.
Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ukraine ever since the second-largest European nation became independent three decades ago. Earlier, Modi addressed the UN summit aimed at calming down global conflicts that include the Israel-Hamas war and Russia's Ukraine invasion.
The PM arrived in New York on Saturday after attending the Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, where he also had bilateral discussions with US President Joe Biden.
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