India has raised with Kyiv the remarks made by President Volodymyr Zelensky during PM Modi's Russia visit.
On July 9, Zelensky criticized PM Modi's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at his dacha, calling it a "devastating blow to peace efforts."
PM Modi was on a two-day visit to Russia from the 8th to the 9th of July for the 22nd India Annual Summit that took place after a gap of three years.
The last summit took place in December 2021, when Russian President Putin visited Delhi.
PM Modi's Moscow visit has seen a sharp response by Washington, with the US State department, White House, Pentagon, US NSA Jake Sullivan, US ambassador Eric Garcetti making remarks throughout last week.
India has raised with Kyiv the remarks made by President Volodymyr Zelensky during PM Modi's Russia visit. On July 9, Zelensky criticized PM Modi's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at his dacha, calling it a "devastating blow to peace efforts."
He stated, "It is disheartening to see the leader of the world's largest democracy embrace the world's most notorious criminal in Moscow". His comments came in the backdrop of the recent hospital attack in Ukraine in which children also died.
PM Modi was on a two-day visit to Russia from the 8th to the 9th of July for the 22nd India Annual Summit that took place after a gap of three years. The last summit took place in December 2021, when Russian President Putin visited Delhi. In Ukraine today, 37 people were killed, three of whom were children, and 170 were injured, including 13 children, as a result of Russia’s brutal missile strike.
A Russian missile struck the largest children's hospital in Ukraine, targeting young cancer patients. Many were… pic.twitter.com/V1k7PEz2rJ — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 8, 2024 × During the summit, PM Modi had raised the issue of the Russia-Ukraine war. He said, "Let's take war, any conflict or terrorist acts: any person who believes in humanity feels pain when people die, and especially when innocent children die."
"When we feel such pain, the heart simply explodes, and I had the opportunity to talk about these issues with you". His comments were seen as significant for their public directness in Moscow, highlighting the human toll of the war.
PM Modi's Moscow visit has seen a sharp response by Washington, with the US State department, White House, Pentagon, US NSA Jake Sullivan, US ambassador Eric Garcetti making remarks throughout last week.
While the State Dept said it has raised with India "concerns" over its ties with Russia, the US Ambassador asked not to take US ties for "granted" even as he dismissed the idea of "strategic autonomy in conflict". On Friday, Indian NSA Ajit Doval and his American counterpart held telephonic talks, which Indian readout said were on the upcoming quad foreign minister meet in Japan.
