Tokyo, May 20: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently in Tokyo for the G7 summit, held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking their first encounter since Russia's military action against Ukraine in February 2022. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the summit, and both leaders discussed the grave situation in Ukraine.

In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Modi acknowledged the significance of their face-to-face meeting after a long time. He emphasized that the conflict in Ukraine transcends politics and economics, underscoring its humanitarian dimension and the values at stake. The Prime Minister's office shared the update on Twitter, stating that the two leaders had held talks.

During the meeting, PM Modi expressed his empathy for the Ukrainian people, particularly referencing the experiences shared by Indian students who had returned from Ukraine. He assured President Zelenskyy that India, both as a nation and on a personal level, would do everything possible to contribute to finding a solution to the conflict and alleviate the suffering.

It is noteworthy that while major powers have condemned Russia's actions, the Indian government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, has not taken sides in the conflict. This approach has drawn attention from Western powers engaged in sanctions against Russia.

Prime Minister Modi's participation in the G7 summit was at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who currently chairs the group. President Zelenskyy also attended the summit as a guest of Japan. Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, expressed confidence in President Zelenskyy's commitment to resolving the stability issues faced by Ukraine.

PM Modi has previously engaged in multiple conversations with both President Putin and President Zelenskyy since the conflict began. In these discussions, he stressed the need for a peaceful resolution and reiterated India's readiness to contribute to peace efforts.

During the G7 summit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to address various global challenges, including issues related to food, fertilizer, and energy security. His bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Kishida provided an opportunity to review and strengthen the comprehensive relationship between India and Japan.

The G7 consists of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, and Japan. As the current chair, Japan extended invitations to India and seven other countries to participate in the summit.-Agencies