Modi meets Polish leaders ahead of ‘landmark’ trip to Ukraine

(CNN) — India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Polish leaders Thursday in a rare trip a day ahead of his expected visit to Ukraine – a first in the countries’ history.

Modi’s tour comes weeks after he traveled to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a symbolic first bilateral visit of the Indian prime minister’s new term – a trip that drew criticism from Kyiv as it defends against Russia’s grinding invasion.

Speaking to members of the Indian diaspora in Warsaw after his arrival Tuesday, Modi said India is stressing “diplomacy and dialogue.”

“India’s view is absolutely clear – this is not the era of war,” Modi said, adding that the country was a “big advocate of permanent peace in this region.”

“This is the time to unite to deal with the challenges which pose the greatest threat to humanity,” he said.

Modi’s expected meetings this week – with leaders from Poland, a key NATO member, on Thursday and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday – come during an inflection point in the war. Ukrainian forces earlier this month launched an unprecedented offensive into Russian territory, nearly two and half years after Moscow’s invasion.

New Delhi has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, but refrained from condemning Russia’s assault as it seeks to maintain relations with Moscow – a long-standing partner it sees as key to balancing a strained relationship with China.

Historic visits

In Poland, Modi was meeting President Andrzej Duda and taking part in talks with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The discussions were due to focus on enhancing cooperation, as well as “regional and global issues of mutual interest,” according to India’s Foreign Ministry, which said this was the first visit of an Indian prime minister to the Eastern European country in 45 years.

During his visit to Ukraine, Modi is expected to meet Zelensky and hold discussions on what India’s foreign ministry described as “the entire gamut of bilateral relations,” including economic ties, infrastructure and defense.

“This landmark visit, of course, takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which will also form part of discussions,” ministry secretary for the West, Tanmaya Lal, said in a briefing on Monday.

International efforts to find a path to ending the war have so far fallen flat.

The US and its NATO allies have continued to stress unwavering support for Kyiv, which maintains that peace must be predicated on the withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory. Major Global South countries, including India as well as China and Brazil, have increasingly tried to position themselves as potential peace brokers – typically calling for both sides to be engaged in dialogue toward peace conditions.

Modi has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, without condemning Russia. India has also abstained from all United Nations resolutions calling for Russian withdrawal and condemning its actions.

Heavily reliant on the Kremlin for its military equipment, India has ramped up purchases of discounted Russian crude oil since the start of the war, giving Putin a financial lifeline as he faces Western sanctions.

India attended a Ukraine-backed international peace summit in Switzerland in June but, like several major economies of the Global South, did not endorse a joint communique at the end of the gathering. China did not attend, citing Russia’s exclusion.

Modi’s visit to Russia last month coincided with a Russian assault on several Ukrainian cities and a deadly strike on a children’s hospital. The prime minister did not directly address the strikes, but made what appeared to be some of his most critical comments to date on the war.

“Whether it’s conflict, war or terror, any person who believes in humanity is troubled when there are deaths, especially when innocent children die,” Modi said then, while calling for a “path to peace through dialogue.”

Zelensky condemned that meeting, describing it as 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.”

Modi and Zelensky have met twice on the sidelines of G7 summits since the start of the war, including this past June in Italy.

CNN’s Aishwarya S Iyer, Samra Zulfaqar, Esha Mitra, and Alex Stambaugh contributed to this report. 

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