Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emine Dzhaparova, on a four-day official visit to New Delhi, invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make an official visit to Ukraine and called for greater Indian involvement in resolving the conflict with Russia.
Emine Dzhaparova told broadcaster CNBC TV18 in an interview, "We believe India should be engaged and involved in the Ukraine issue to a great extent."
She added that Kyiv also expected India to invite Ukrainian officials to participate in G20 events and intensify political dialogue.
India holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 this year and will be hosting a leaders summit in September in New Delhi.
"We believe intensification of political dialogue on the highest level is first step towards this big goal. My president is requesting a phone conversation with the Prime Minister. We are looking forward to welcome him in Kyiv one day," she said in the interview.
In her first visit since the Russian invasion began in February 2021, the Ukrainian minister met delegates of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Speaking to reporters yesterday, she said India should be pragmatic in securing its resources, including energy and defence equipment, while warning against dependence on Russia.
In September 2022, on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand, PM Modi had told Russian President Vladimir Putin that "today's era isn't of war" and called for an end to the invasion of Ukraine.
In a phone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in October last year, PM Modi said there could be "no military solution" and that India was ready to contribute to peace efforts.
Dzhaparova will meet India's deputy national security adviser and a junior foreign minister during her visit and address a world affairs think tank.