NEW DELHI: PM Narendra
Modi
held a
bilateral meeting
with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the margins of the G7 summit, reiterating support for peaceful resolution of the
Russia-Ukraine conflict
through dialogue and diplomacy. Zelenskyy thanked Modi for India's participation in the Switzerland peace summit although Modi himself is giving it a miss and India will be represented only at the level of senior officials.
Modi told Zelenskyy India will continue to do all it can within its means to facilitate a
peaceful solution
.
This was the second time in succession that Modi met Zelenskyy at G7. The leaders had last met on the sidelines of the 2023 G7 summit in Hiroshima.
Respecting Russian sensitivities, India had not invited Zelenskyy for the G20 summit in Delhi last year. Modi will also skip the Ukraine peace summit that Switzerland will host immediately after the G7 meeting and return to India. Zelenskyy had called Modi earlier to seek his support for the peace summit but efforts to keep out Russia, which has reservations about the initiative, meant India's participation will be restricted to a secretary-level official. With China not participating at all, Zelenskyy thanked Modi for sending a "high-level" delegation. The Ukraine President said he discussed expansion of agriculture and trade cooperation with India, particularly in the context of the functioning of Black Sea shipping corridor.
Both leaders had a "productive" meeting in which they discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations. They also exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and the summit in Switzerland. On the ongoing hostilities, Modi said in a post on X that he told Zelenskyy India believes in a human-centric approach.
According to a govt readout, Modi thanked Zelenskyy for his warm wishes on his assuming office for the third term.
"PM conveyed that India continues to encourage peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, and reiterated that India would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution," it added. The leaders agreed to remain in touch. In his previous meeting with Zelenskyy, Modi had emphasised the conflict was not just a political or economic issue but an issue of humanity and human values.
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