NEW DELHI: In a first since Russia launched its military offensive in Ukraine, a Ukrainian minister will visit India next week to discuss the implications of the ongoing conflict and seek India’s support. Emine Dzhaparova, the first deputy foreign minister of Ukraine, will hold talks with Indian officials and also deliver a lecture- Russia’s war in Ukraine: why the world should care – at a think tank affiliated to India’s ministry of external affairs.
The visit will come days after India again abstained from voting on a UN Human Rights Council resolution that extended the mandate of the international commission of inquiry probing rights violations in Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. Ukraine saw the resolution as essential for seeking accountability for Russia’s alleged crimes.
The minister is also expected to invite PM Narendra Modi to Kiev and discuss with Indian authorities the possibility of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s participation in the G20 summit in India in September. India has so far not invited Zelenskyy for the summit.
Dzhaparova, according to the Ukrainian foreign ministry, is responsible for coordination of policy planning, public diplomacy and international organizations, including the EU and NATO. She also handles the activities of the Ukrainian Institute – a public institution of Ukraine that represents Ukrainian culture in the world and seeks to form a positive image of Ukraine abroad.
Ukraine has expressed appreciation for India’s humanitarian assistance and while it would like India to be more forthcoming on Russia’s actions in Ukraine, if not to join the West in condemning Moscow, it has maintained high-level contact with India with Zelenskyy and Modi having spoken on phone many times since the beginning of the conflict. Foreign minister S Jaishankar has also spoken to his counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on several occasions.
Zelenskyy had earlier called Modi seeking support for his 10-point peace plan that he proposed in his virtual address at the G20 Bali summit last year. Significantly, the minister is also coming ahead of a series of high-level visits from Russia to India starting with the visit later this month of Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu for the meeting of SCO defence ministers.
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov will also visit India on May 5 for another SCO meeting before President Vladimir Putin himself travels to India for the summit in July.
While Ukraine was disappointed that India abstained again from voting on the resolution at the UN Human Rights Council that also strongly condemned Russia’s actions, India maintains it wants immediate cessation of hostilities and will will support any international peace initiative. Modi had conveyed to Zelenskyy in December that India will support any peace effort, and also assured him India will continue providing humanitarian assistance to affected Ukraine civilian population.
The visit will come days after India again abstained from voting on a UN Human Rights Council resolution that extended the mandate of the international commission of inquiry probing rights violations in Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. Ukraine saw the resolution as essential for seeking accountability for Russia’s alleged crimes.
The minister is also expected to invite PM Narendra Modi to Kiev and discuss with Indian authorities the possibility of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s participation in the G20 summit in India in September. India has so far not invited Zelenskyy for the summit.
Dzhaparova, according to the Ukrainian foreign ministry, is responsible for coordination of policy planning, public diplomacy and international organizations, including the EU and NATO. She also handles the activities of the Ukrainian Institute – a public institution of Ukraine that represents Ukrainian culture in the world and seeks to form a positive image of Ukraine abroad.
Ukraine has expressed appreciation for India’s humanitarian assistance and while it would like India to be more forthcoming on Russia’s actions in Ukraine, if not to join the West in condemning Moscow, it has maintained high-level contact with India with Zelenskyy and Modi having spoken on phone many times since the beginning of the conflict. Foreign minister S Jaishankar has also spoken to his counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on several occasions.
Zelenskyy had earlier called Modi seeking support for his 10-point peace plan that he proposed in his virtual address at the G20 Bali summit last year. Significantly, the minister is also coming ahead of a series of high-level visits from Russia to India starting with the visit later this month of Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu for the meeting of SCO defence ministers.
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov will also visit India on May 5 for another SCO meeting before President Vladimir Putin himself travels to India for the summit in July.
While Ukraine was disappointed that India abstained again from voting on the resolution at the UN Human Rights Council that also strongly condemned Russia’s actions, India maintains it wants immediate cessation of hostilities and will will support any international peace initiative. Modi had conveyed to Zelenskyy in December that India will support any peace effort, and also assured him India will continue providing humanitarian assistance to affected Ukraine civilian population.