Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his wishes on the occasion of India's Independence Day.
In his message to Zelensky, PM Modi also expressed an earnest wish for the people of Ukraine and Kyiv’s war with Russia.
“Thank you, President Zelenskyy, for your warm greetings. I deeply value the joint commitment to forging even closer ties between India and Ukraine. We earnestly wish our friends in Ukraine a future marked by peace, progress and "prosperity,” Modi wrote in a post on X.
Modi's wish came after Zelensky sent a message on Friday, India's 79th Independence Day.
“Congratulations to the people of India, President @rashtrapatibhvn, and Prime Minister @narendramodi on Independence Day! This week, we had a good, candid conversation with Prime Minister @narendramodi when I had an opportunity to personally convey my best wishes on this occasion,” Zelensky wrote on X.
The Ukrainian leader said that both India and Ukraine share the experience of standing up for freedom and dignity, as well as the pursuit of peace and development. He also hoped that New Delhi would contribute to efforts to end Russia's war on Ukraine.
{{/usCountry}}The Ukrainian leader said that both India and Ukraine share the experience of standing up for freedom and dignity, as well as the pursuit of peace and development. He also hoped that New Delhi would contribute to efforts to end Russia's war on Ukraine.
{{/usCountry}}“Our nations share the experience of standing up for freedom and dignity, as well as the pursuit of peace and development. We hope that India will contribute to efforts aimed at ending the war, so that our freedom and sovereignty are truly secure. I am confident that the potential for mutually beneficial Ukraine–India cooperation lies ahead — in science, technology, trade, and culture. Wishing peace and "prosperity!” the post added.
India's response to the Alaska Summit
India on Saturday reacted to the meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska, saying “the way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy.”
The statement from the Ministry of External Affairs comes a day after Trump met Russian President Putin, who was in the US for the first time in a decade, for a summit towards ending the war in Ukraine.
“India welcomes the Summit meeting in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Their leadership in the pursuit of peace is highly commendable,” a statement of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
“India appreciates the progress made in the Summit. The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine,” the statement added.
Though Trump and Putin failed to make significant headway in the peace talks, both sides maintained that they were fruitful. The Alaska summit on Friday has paved the way for more such meetings between the US President and his Ukrainian counterpart, Zelensky.