Zelensky asks Modi to use his influence to end Russia’s war and help bring back Ukrainian children
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called on Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to use his influence on Vladimir Putin to push for an end to the war.
Mr Modi invited Mr Zelensky to come to India during his visit to Ukraine in August when he said New Delhi was on the side of peace from the very first day of the war.
Kyiv has repeatedly shown frustration with India for seeking to do a balancing act between the West and its ally Russia. India has called for peace but sought to increase trade links with Russia, a key arms supplier and energy exporter.
Mr Zelensky said Mr Modi has “huge influence” on Mr Putin and can take a “real step”.
“As for the position of PM Modi I think that any assertions today should not end with the word only. Modi is the PM of a really huge country from the perspective of population, economy, influence and impact. Such a country cannot just say we are interested in the end of the war, we are all interested in that,” he said in an interview with the Times of India newspaper.
“Especially for such a huge country like India, PM Modi can influence the end of the war. This is the huge value of him in any conflict.”
Mr Zelensky said blocking the Russian economy, its cheap energy resources and its defence industrial complex would reduce its ability to wage war against Ukraine.
He called on G20 – the grouping of the world’s largest economies – to choke Russia economically and put “Putin in his place”. “You don’t need to say we would like peace, you need to act. Because the daily war is killing people,” he said.
Kyiv has alleged that 20,000 children have been taken to Russia or Russian occupied territories without the consent of the families or guardians since the war began, calling it a war crime that meets the UN treaty definition of genocide.
Suggesting more concrete steps, he called on Mr Modi to join a coalition of countries helping bring back the children and said he could start with the repatriation of 1,000 such children.
“You can force Putin to bring back Ukrainian children,” Mr Zelensky said.
“PM Modi can use his influence and tell Putin just give me 1,000 Ukrainian children who will be brought back to Ukraine. Let PM Modi bring back at least 1,000 Ukrainian children.”
Mr Modi has met Mr Putin twice this year. He went to Russia in July, and was promptly criticised by Mr Zelensky for hugging the Russian leader.
The Ukrainian leader called Mr Modi’s meeting with Mr Putin “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 on such a day”.
