Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a “return of peace” Wednesday as he left for Ukraine, weeks after Kyiv condemned him for hugging President Vladimir Putin during a visit to traditional ally Russia.

Modi, 73, will first visit Poland before travelling on to Ukraine on Friday.

“As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region”, Modi said on social media.

The premier has trodden a delicate balance between maintaining India’s historically warm ties with Russia while courting closer security
partnerships with Western nations as a bulwark against regional rival China.

His government has avoided explicit condemnations of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, instead urging both sides to resolve their differences through dialogue.

It will be Modi’s first visit to Ukraine, and he said he would discuss with President Volodymyr Zelensky “perspectives on the peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict”, as well as the “deepening the India-Ukraine friendship”.