Ukraine and India have discussed strengthening bilateral ties and New Delhi’s potential role in efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. The talks come after Ukraine reported that an Indian national was among those killed in a Russian aerial assault…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Ukraine has sought a greater role for India in diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war, during talks between senior Ukrainian officials and India’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Anjani Kumar.
Sergiy Kyslytsya, First Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, held what he described as a “substantive meeting” with Kumar in Kyiv on Tuesday.
The meeting was also attended by Oleksii Sobolev, Deputy Head of the Office of the President.
Kyslytsya said the discussions focused on prospects for Ukraine-India relations, including India’s role in efforts to bring Russia’s war against Ukraine to an end.
“Had a substantive meeting with India’s Ambassador to Ukraine Anjani Kumar @sahayanjani, together with my colleague, Deputy Head of the Office of the President @OleksiiSobolev. We discussed prospects for Ukraine-India relations, including India’s role in efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine,” he said in a post on X.
The Ukrainian official said the two sides also discussed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that “the time has come to move from an endless war to an end of war.”
“We look forward to continued dialogue with India and to translating this shared interest in peace into concrete steps,” Kyslytsya said.
The talks took place against the backdrop of a major Russian aerial attack on Ukraine, in which Ukrainian authorities said an Indian citizen was among those killed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 12 people had been killed and dozens injured in the overnight assault.
“Overall, 12 people were killed, among them an Indian citizen, and dozens more were injured in the attack. My condolences to everyone who has lost family and loved ones,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
He said a large number of first responders had been involved in clearing the aftermath of the attack, with nearly 350 responders working in Kyiv and the surrounding region alone.
Zelenskyy said jet-powered drones and ballistic missiles had been used and that residential buildings and civilian infrastructure had been damaged.
He also reported damage in Boryspil, where a five-storey residential building was hit and 50 people were evacuated. According to Zelenskyy, four people were killed and 13 injured in the city.
Following the Ukrainian president’s statement, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv said it was in contact with the family of the Indian national killed in the attack.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of an Indian national in an attack in Ukraine. The Embassy is in touch with the bereaved family and extends its deepest condolences,” the embassy said.
It added: “We are providing all possible assistance for early repatriation of the mortal remains. In this regard, the Embassy is in contact with his company and the Ukrainian authorities.”
The meeting between Ukrainian officials and India’s ambassador comes as Kyiv continues to engage with countries that could potentially contribute to diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
India has maintained diplomatic engagement with both Ukraine and Russia while calling for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The discussions in Kyiv indicate Ukraine’s interest in maintaining communication with New Delhi and exploring areas where India could contribute to efforts towards peace.
