“The visit will be an occasion to further mutual understanding and interests,” MEA said.
New Delhi:
In the first official visit from Ukraine since the Russian offensive started in February last year, the war-torn country’s first Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova will commence her four-day India visit on Monday to discuss bilateral relations, exchange views on the current situation in Ukraine, and global issues of mutual interest, officials said.
Ms Dzhaparova will also meet Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi, and Deputy National Security Adviser, Vikram Misri.
“India shares warm and friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation with Ukraine. Over the last 30 years of establishing diplomatic relations, bilateral cooperation between the two countries has made significant progress in the areas of trade, education, culture and defence. The visit will be an occasion to further mutual understanding and interests,” an official statement said.
During her visit, the minister is expected to seek humanitarian aid and equipment to repair energy infrastructure damaged during Russia’s invasion, The Hindu reported.
She is also expected to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Kyiv, the newspaper said.
India, which holds the presidency of the G20 bloc this year, has declined to blame its old ally Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and has sought a diplomatic solution while boosting its purchases of Russian oil,
Prime Minister Modi has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy a number of times since the war began, and India has publicly maintained that diplomacy and dialogue are the only ways to resolve the conflict.
In a phone conversation with President Zelenskyy on October 4 last year, PM Modi said there can be “no military solution” and that India is ready to contribute to any peace efforts.