Ukrainian President’s first-ever India trip planned for next month; dates yet to be finalized amid Trump peace talks and domestic pressures
New Delhi :Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit India next month, following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent trip, though specific dates remain unconfirmed.
This would mark Zelenskyy’s inaugural visit to India. Historically, Ukrainian presidents have visited India only three times :in 1992, 2002, and 2012 with Viktor Yanukovych being the last in 2012.
India continues maintaining diplomatic equilibrium between Moscow and Kyiv. In 2024, Prime Minister Modi first traveled to Moscow before visiting Kyiv weeks later,the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991.
The visit’s timing hinges on multiple factors: progress in Trump’s emerging peace initiative, battlefield dynamics, and Ukraine’s domestic political situation, particularly corruption allegations pressuring Zelenskyy’s government.
During his August 2024 Ukraine visit, Modi extended an invitation to Zelenskyy, reiterating India’s commitment to peace. “This is not the time for war,” Modi had told Putin earlier.
Zelenskyy has acknowledged India’s potential influence, stating, “India is a large country with significant impact. India can stop Putin.”
Diplomatic consultations between Indian and Ukrainian officials have intensified over recent weeks, predating Putin’s visit.
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