Ukrainian minister to arrive Monday on first India visit since Russian invasion; seek G20 invite for Zelensky

Ukraine’s first deputy foreign affairs minister Emine Dzhaparova will make a four-day visit to India starting Monday (April 9), making it the first official visit of a minister from Kyiv since the start of the Russian invasion.

The visit will focus on bilateral relations, exchanging views on the current situation in Ukraine, and global issues of mutual interest, officials said.

Dzhaparova is also expected to meet Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi, and Deputy National Security Adviser, Vikram Misri.

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The Hindu newspaper reported that the Ukrainian minister is expectedto invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kyivand suggest New Delhi to invite President Volodymyr Zelensky to the G20 Summit in September.

“India shares warm and friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation with Ukraine. Over the last 30 years of establishing diplomatic relations, bilateral cooperation between the two countries has made significant progress in the areas of trade, education, culture and defence. The visit will be an occasion to further mutual understanding and interests," India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

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Additionally, the minister will also request more humanitarian aid, including pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and energy equipment to repair power infrastructure damaged during the war, the newspaper reported.

The report further states that the Urainian minister, a former journalist, will call on India to send a "strong message for peace" to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is due to visit India in July for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and is due back in September for G20 summit.

So far, India has taken a neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine war, and has repeatedly urged both parties to shun violence and get back to the discussion table.

India has also abstained on all resolutions passed against Russia in the various UN bodies, including at the UN General Assembly. The latest one was passed by the UN human rights council on April 4 which extended the mandate of the commission of inquiry into alleged war crimes by Russia for a year.

Despite facing pressures from US and the West to follow its sanction model, India has remained steadfast in its foreign policy, and has refused to join either faction, the latter being the Russia-China axis.

(With inputs from agencies)

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