External affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Friday defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi embracing Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow last month.
During the briefing on Modi's meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, a reporter asked him,"You spoke about Prime Minister Modi's visit to Moscow last month. A lot of people were quiet upset to see the embrace between the two leaders. Also, they were quiet upset to see India overtaking China as the biggest importer of Russian crude oil. Also, they say they are disappointed that there has been no explicit condemnation of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. I am just wondering whether you had difficulty persuading President Zelenskyy that India is not favouring Russia but is indeed pursuing non-alignment."
“In our part of the world when people meet people they are given to embracing each other. It may not be part of your culture, it is part of our culture,” ANI quoted the minister as saying.
PM Modi's Ukraine visit LIVE coverage
Prime Minister Modi had visited Russia on July 8-9 on the invitation of the Russian president. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met Modi on Friday, had criticised the latter for embracing Putin.
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“It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world's largest democracy hug the world's most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day," Zelenskyy had posted on X.
On Friday, Modi did shake hands and hugged Zelenskyy, a gesture he is known for have extended to several world leaders including French president Emmanuel Macron, US president Joe Biden and others.
What PM Modi said in Ukraine today?
Modi said that India has stood for peace concerning the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
{{/usCountry}}Modi said that India has stood for peace concerning the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
{{/usCountry}}“We have stayed away from the war with great conviction. This does not mean that we were indifferent. We were not neutral from day one, we have taken a side, and we stand firmly for peace,” the prime minister was quoted by AFP as saying, with Zelenskyy seated next to him.
“Whatever help is required from a humanitarian standpoint, India will always stand with you and will go above and beyond to support you,” Modi added.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar said that during bilateral talks, much of the discussion between Modi and Zelenskyy took place on the Ukraine war.
“It is India's view that the two sides (Ukraine and Russia) need to engage with each other to find a solution,” the minister said.