In the first such visit since the Russia-Ukraine war began last February, the government will hold talks next week with a senior Ukrainian Minister, who is likely to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Kiev. Diplomatic sources said that the final arrangements are still being discussed, but confirmed that Emine Dzhaparova, the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, is expected to arrive in Delhi on Monday and hold an inter-ministerial dialogue as well as engage with media and think tanks in the Capital, with a view to building support for Ukraine in India.
Ukraine has requested India for more humanitarian aid, including pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and energy equipment, to repair power infrastructure damaged during the war, and both sides are also expected to discuss the delivery of such support.
Seeking G-20 invite
According to the sources, Ms. Dzhaparova will expand on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “10-point Peace Formula” during her talks, calling on India to add its “crucial global voice” to building a consensus in its favour. In a conversation Mr. Zelensky held with Mr. Modi in December 2022, the Ukrainian President had reportedly invited India to be one of the “security guarantors” for a future peace process. The Ukrainian Minister will now call upon India to send a “strong message for peace” directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is due to visit India in early July to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and is invited again for the G-20 summit in September.
In addition, Ukraine is keen to receive an invitation to participate in G-20 meetings being held under India’s Presidency, and for Mr. Zelensky to be invited to speak to G-20 leaders during the summit, as he was invited during last year’s G-20 in Indonesia, when he gave a virtual address.
“As a global leader, and a crucial voice, India should be at the table discussing the possibility of peace in Ukraine. We would also hope we would be allowed to take part in the ongoing G-20 meetings and for the President to deliver our message at the summit,” the sources said, confirming that Ms. Dzhaparova would deliver an invitation to Mr. Modi to visit Kiev at the earliest possibility.
‘Disappointed with India’
Ms. Dzhaparova’s visit comes less than a month before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting. During his last visit to Delhi in early March, Mr. Lavrov had said that Russia was in favour of talks, but that Ukraine’s President has refused dialogue with Mr. Putin, and will only talk after Russian troops withdraw from all Ukrainian territory.
During her visit, Ms. Dzhaparova will address the Indian Council of World Affairs, a think tank under the Ministry of External Affairs, in a talk entitled “Russia’s War in Ukraine: Why the World Should Care”. In the past year, Ukrainian officials have expressed their disappointment that India has not adopted a more proactive and supportive stand on the war. India has abstained from all votes at the UN criticising the Russian invasion of Ukraine, or what Moscow calls “Special Operations”, and despite calls to reduce dependence on Russia, has increased its intake of Russian oil more than 20-fold, importing about 1.43 million barrels per day last month. In July 2022, Mr. Zelensky withdrew a number of diplomats, expressing dissatisfaction with the stand of countries they were posted in, including the Ukrainian Ambassador to India. Officials have said that a new Ambassador was expected to be appointed soon.
Ms. Dzhaparova’s visit also comes as a number of European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have visited Beijing, calling for Chinese President Xi Jinping to play a mediatory role and exert pressure on Russia to end the war. Speaking in an interview to CNN last week, Ms. Dzhaparova said, referring to Mr. Xi’s recent visit to Moscow, that Ukraine seeks “parity”, and that all countries that engage Russia must similarly strengthen their ties with Ukraine as well.
