Ahead Of Modi Visit To Ukraine, Tony Blinken Talks About Need For Peace

Photo: Reuters/Saul Loeb

WASHINGTON, DC (REUTERS) – Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 28 emphasized the importance of a “just and enduring peace” for Ukraine in a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, the State Department said. The discussion came amid a visit being reportedly planned to Ukraine by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi is likely to visit Ukraine in August, various Indian media outlets have reported in recent days, which would be his first visit to the country since Russia invaded in February 2022 and would come just weeks after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had expressed unhappiness and disappointment with Modi’s visit to Russia.

While Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow following the invasion of Ukraine, nations friendly with Russia such as India and China have continued to trade.

“Secretary Blinken underscored the importance of realizing a just and enduring peace for Ukraine consistent with the UN Charter,” the State Department said in a statement on the meeting between Blinken and Jaishankar.

Social media posts from both Blinken and Jaishankar mentioned their meeting but did not specifically mention Ukraine.

New Delhi has resisted pressure from the West to distance itself from Moscow since the invasion, citing its longstanding ties with Russia and its economic needs.

In recent years, Washington has looked to improve ties with New Delhi as it has increasingly viewed India as a potential counterweight to an ascendant China. However, while Modi was visiting Russia, the State Department said it raised concerns with India over its ties to Russia.