Indian Prime Minister Modi contacts Zelensky during his China trip, reinforcing his stance on a 'peaceful resolution to the conflict'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, during which they discussed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, its humanitarian aspect, and efforts to restore peace and stability.

According to a readout shared by the Prime Minister's Office, Modi reaffirmed India's steadfast and consistent position towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. He expressed full support for all efforts in this direction and reiterated India's commitment to extend all possible support for the earliest restoration of peace in Ukraine.

The conversation took place while Modi was preparing for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the SCO Summit. However, the escalating conflict in Ukraine was a significant topic of discussion.

In recent days, the region has witnessed intense fighting, with Russia launching a mass attack on southern Ukraine, consisting of 537 strike drones and decoys, as well as 45 missiles. The attack overnight into Saturday struck a five-story residential building in the Zaporizhzhia region, killing at least one civilian and wounding 28 people, including children. This attack came just two days after a rare airstrike on central Kyiv killed 23 and damaged European Union diplomatic offices.

Ukraine's Air Force has reported success in countering these attacks, with Ukrainian forces able to shoot down or neutralize 510 drones and decoys and 38 missiles.

Meanwhile, around 26 Western countries, including France, Germany, and the USA, are supporting Ukraine with promises of security guarantees and are prepared to provide peacekeeping troops after a ceasefire or peace agreement. The aim is to help Ukraine defend itself and deter further aggression. Germany, Bulgaria, and other European and transatlantic partners are backing a peaceful resolution based on Ukraine's sovereignty and international law, demanding full Russian withdrawal and accountability for war crimes. The USA and NATO countries also offer military and security guarantees, though the deployment of peacekeeping forces would largely be a European responsibility.

Modi and Zelenskyy concluded their conversation with a shared hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and a return to stability in Ukraine. Modi wrote on Twitter, "Thank President Zelenskyy for his phone call today. We exchanged views on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian aspect, and efforts to restore peace and stability."

Indian Prime Minister Modi contacts Zelensky during his China trip, reinforcing his stance on a 'peaceful resolution to the conflict'