Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister, is gearing up for a significant visit to India next week. This marks the first high-profile visit from Ukraine since Russia's invasion more than two years ago, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The visit is strategically aimed at garnering support for Ukraine's peace plan. Despite traditionally close ties with Moscow in terms of both economy and defense, India has refrained from criticizing Russia for its invasion in February 2022. Instead, India has notably increased its purchases of Russian oil to unprecedented levels.
Kuleba's visit follows an invitation extended by his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, after a telephone conversation between the leaders earlier this year, as revealed by one of the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ukraine's peace plan, as articulated by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, emphasizes the removal of all Russian troops, restoration of Ukraine's 1991 borders following the Soviet dissolution, and establishing a process to hold Russia accountable for its actions.
In addition to engaging in discussions with Indian officials, Kuleba is slated to oversee the India-Ukraine inter-governmental commission, responsible for maintaining economic, cultural, and technological ties between the two nations, as mentioned by one of the officials.
While the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has not yet responded to requests for comment, an official announcement of the visit is expected next week, initially reported by Indian media on Tuesday.
Ukraine has also sought India's assistance in rebuilding its economy devastated by war, extending invitations for investment from Indian companies during a January business summit held in India.
Kuleba's visit comes shortly after Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office, engaged in discussions with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on March 15.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained communication with the leaders of both Ukraine and Russia, having met President Zelenskiy in May during a G7 summit in Hiroshima. India has consistently emphasized the importance of dialogue, with Modi reiterating to President Putin in September 2022 that the current era is not conducive to warfare.
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