Ukrainian prez writes to PM Modi, seeks addl humanitarian aid

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting India for additional medicines and medical equipment, the external affairs ministry said on Wednesday.

Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister, Emine Dzhaparova, who is currently in India, handed over a letter from Zelenskyy to Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi.

"The Ukrainian Deputy FM also proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies," the statement said.

Earlier, Dzhaparova expressed wish that Ukraine wants greater political dialogue with India on its ongoing war with Russia.

In December last year, Zelenskyy sought India's support in the implementation of his "peace formula" during a phone conversation with PM Modi.

PM Modi said both sides should revert to dialogue and diplomacy to find a lasting solution to their differences and conveyed India's support for any peace efforts to Zelenskyy, according to an official statement.

PM Modi held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 16 during which he reiterated his call for resolving the Ukraine conflict through "dialogue and diplomacy".

PM Modi during a bilateral meeting with Putin in September last year urged him to end the conflict in Ukraine soon, saying today's era is not of war and nudged the Russian leader to end the conflict.

Since the Ukraine conflict began in February, the prime minister has spoken to Putin as well as Zelenskyy a number of times.

In a phone conversation with Zelenskyy on October 4, Modi said there can be "no military solution" and that India is ready to contribute to any peace efforts.

India is yet to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.

with agency inputs