Ukraine : Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for a historic visit to Ukraine on Thursday after concluding his two-day visit to Poland. PM Modi, who visited Ukraine at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelensky, has said that he will share his views with the Ukrainian leader on a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict. His visit to Ukraine comes nearly six weeks after his visit to Moscow, which was criticized by the US and some of its Western allies. This is the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since Ukraine became independent in 1991. 

Traveling to Ukraine by train

PM Modi said, "I look forward to the opportunity to take forward the dialogue with President Zelensky to strengthen bilateral cooperation and share views on a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict." He said, "As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region." Modi is travelling to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv by train amid tight security, this journey will take him about 10 hours.

'This is not the era of war'

Notably, India has not yet condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine and is calling for a resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. Even before the Ukraine visit, PM Modi had made his stand clear in Poland. He had said that India supports peace in the troubled region. He reiterated that "this is not the era of war" and any conflict should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. He said, "India is the land of Lord Buddha. Therefore India is a supporter of lasting peace in the region. Our stand is very clear - this is not the era of war. This is the time to come together against the challenges that threaten humanity. Therefore, India believes in diplomacy and dialogue."