Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to leverage his influence to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
On Tuesday (29 October), British media outlet The Independent published a report quoting President Zelensky, who reiterated his appeal to Modi to leverage his influence with Putin to help bring the war to an end.
He cited India’s strength as an economic and demographic power, making it difficult for any global entity to disregard its stance. Zelensky also proposed that India could potentially “block” Russia’s economy through restrictions on affordable energy and defence supplies to Russia.
Zelensky emphasised India’s significant influence as a global power due to its economic standing and population, urging Modi to exert this influence in compelling Putin to cease hostilities.
Previously, Modi had expressed willingness to mediate peace talks during visits to both Russia and Ukraine, an initiative met with positive interest from both Putin and Zelensky. This was followed by a diplomatic visit by India's National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, to Russia in September.
According to reports, Zelensky also requested Modi’s assistance in securing the return of approximately 1,000 Ukrainian children currently detained in Russia. He urged Modi to take a firm stance on this humanitarian issue.
During his August visit to Kyiv, Modi extended an invitation to Zelensky to visit India. At the time, Modi underscored India’s consistent position in favour of peace since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Kyiv has previously voiced frustration over what it perceives as India’s neutral stance between Western allies and Russia. Despite India’s emphasis on peace, it continues to import Russian oil at discounted rates and maintain defence trade relations with Moscow.
Zelensky noted Modi’s “significant influence” over Putin, suggesting that India could take genuine steps towards a resolution. However, he also acknowledged that “simply voicing support for peace will not bring an immediate end to the war.”
