‘Not against PM Modi,’ Zelensky addresses his criticism of Modi-Putin hug while speaking to WION
Ukraine President Zelensky speaks to WION
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept up with his tradition of hugging the host as he stepped into war-torn Ukraine on Friday (Aug 23). The internet was inundated with photos of PM Modi embracing Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, in stark contrast to visuals that came from Moscow last month when the Indian PMhugged host, President Vladimir Putin, in a similar fashion.
The Modi-Putin embrace drew sharp criticism from Western leaders as well as Zelensky.
“It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day,” Zelensky wrote, referring to a Russian attack on a children’s hospital in Kyiv the day Modi arrived in Russia.
WION asks question to Zelensky
WION on Friday asked Zelensky whether his perception of PM Modi had changed after the Indian leader extended a similar gesture towards him while visiting Kyiv.
WION’s Sidhant Sibal asked Zelensky, “When PM Modi was in Moscow, you condemned the embrace between the Indian PM and Russian president. Now, he’s here in Kyiv. He embraced you. Has your assessment changed because he is present in Kyiv, meeting you and hugging you?
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In response, Zelensky said his criticism was not directed against PM Modi’s visit to Russia but Putin’s attack on Ukrainian children.
“Signal of condemnation was not because of (Indian) prime minister came to see Putin but because the PM came to Putin and Putin killed our children. And we wanted to have some reaction, to hear some response. I think it’s important that democratic world is understanding what’s happening,” Zelensky told WION.
Indian foreign minister Jaishankar’s response
Following the meeting between Modi and Zelensky, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr SJaishankar addressed the media and shared details of the conversation the two leaders had.
When he was asked about Modi’s hug with Putin and now with President Zelensky, Jaishankar said, “In our part of the world, when people meet people, they are given to embracing each other, it may not be part of your culture but I can assure you it is part of ours. In fact, today, I think, I saw, Prime Minister (Modi) also embrace President Zelensky.”