President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Archive).
New Delhi:
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted harshly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brief visit to Russia and his interaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskyy referred to Monday’s Russian attack – in which at least 37 people, including three children, were killed following a missile attack on a children’s hospital in Kiev.
The strike also damaged almost 100 buildings, including schools and maternity wards.
His tweet included photos of the bombed hospital and babies in ambulances.
Zelenskky’s post came after Prime Minister Modi met President Putin in Moscow and hugged. Footage of the meeting showed the two leaders drinking tea on the terrace of Putin’s home in Novo-Ogaryovo, on the outskirts of Moscow, and Modi being driven around in a golf cart.
One photo in particular – of Modi and Putin embracing – was widely shared online.
READ | PM hugs Putin on visit to Russia, tea date at home, golf cart ride
And the President of Ukraine was particularly critical of that image, posting: “It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy embrace the world’s bloodiest criminal in Moscow on such a day…”
Today in Ukraine, 37 people died, three of whom were children, and 170 were injured, including 13 children, as a result of Russia’s brutal missile attack.
A Russian missile hit Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, targeting young cancer patients. Many were… pic.twitter.com/V1k7PEz2rJ
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 8, 2024
Prime Minister Modi flew to Moscow on a two-day visit that treads a fine line between maintaining a long-standing relationship and courting closer ties with the West amid the war in Ukraine.
This is the prime minister’s first visit since being voted back to power last month.
It is also the first time he has visited Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.
READ | At Modi-Putin dinner, India’s direct call to end war in Ukraine
Sources told NDTV that Modi, during his meeting with Putin, stressed that no solution – to the violence – could be found on the battlefield. “India has always called for respect for the United Nations Charter, including territorial integrity and sovereignty. There is no solution on the battlefield. Dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward,” Modi was quoted as saying.
Modi has also spoken to Zelenskyy on several occasions, including meeting him in Italy last month on the sidelines of the G7 summit. The two were photographed sharing a hug. The first face-to-face meeting since the start of the war was in May last year, at the G7 summit organized by Japan.
In a phone call with President Zelenskyy in October 2022, Prime Minister Modi said that “there can be no military solution” and that India is ready to contribute to any peace efforts
READ | PM talks to the president of Ukraine, call Putin today
Since the start of the war, India has maintained that it can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, and the Prime Minister has said that “India stands ready to contribute to any peace efforts”.
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This story originally appeared on Ndtv.com read the full story
