Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reacted sharply to Indian 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 a recent Russian attack in Kyiv that resulted in at least 37 deaths, including three children, after a missile strike on a children’s hospital. The attack also damaged nearly 100 buildings, including schools and maternity hospitals.
Zelenskyy’s tweet included photographs of the bombed hospital and babies in ambulances, highlighting the devastating impact of the strike. His post came shortly after Prime Minister Modi met President Putin in Moscow, where visuals showed the two leaders sharing an embrace, drinking tea on a terrace at Putin’s residence in Novo-Ogaryovo, and being driven around in a golf cart.
One widely shared photo, in particular, captured Modi and Putin hugging, which Zelenskyy criticized heavily. He posted, “It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day…”
PM Modi’s visit to Moscow, which spans two days, aims to balance India’s longstanding relationship with Russia while also courting closer ties with the West amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. This visit marks Modi’s first trip to Russia since his recent re-election and his first since the war in Ukraine began.
The Ukrainian President’s sharp reaction underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics at play and the emotional toll of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, highlighting the contrasting diplomatic approaches and their broader implications for global peace efforts.
