Why PM Modi's 7-Hour Kyiv Visit After Russia Stop is A Diplomatic Coup for India

After the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, there have been only a few countries in the world whose heads of government have visited both nations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first among the most popular leaders of the world to have visited Russia during the war and is now on a visit to Ukraine.

Although there have been four heads of countries who have visited both Russia and Ukraine before PM Modi, their fame is nothing compared to that of the Indian prime minister who has been advocating for peace between the two countries.

PM Modi may be present in Kyiv for only seven hours, but this will be one of the most important diplomatic developments in the world.

Although Ukraine has been visited by leaders of many major western countries, including US President Joe Biden, the leaders have not turned to Russia, except for one or two exceptions.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer was the first leader in the world to visit Russia during the war and had visited Kyiv just two days before going to Russia. Nehammer was on a visit to Moscow on April 11, 2022, and had visited Ukraine just two days before on April 9.

Also, Indonesian President Joko Widodo reached Moscow on June 29, 2022, after visiting Ukraine a day before on June 28.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the Ukrainian city of Lviv in the year 2022 and later also reached the Russian city of Sochi on a working visit. Erdogan has also been advocating for and initiating a peace agreement for ceasefire between the two countries. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban first visited Ukraine in July 2024 and then visited Russia.

PM Modi has given his message to Russian President Vladimir Putin not once but twice to end the war. India’s stand has been that the solution to the problem is possible only through dialogue and diplomacy. In such a situation, after visiting Russia just a few weeks ago, the prime minister, who has now also visited Ukraine, will be successful in giving a message of peace to the world with his presence on Ukrainian soil.