PM Modi to visit Ukraine on Aug 23, weeks after trip to Russia amid US criticism

New Delhi, NT Bureau: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on a nearly seven-hour visit to Kyiv this week, India on Monday said it is willing to provide all possible support required to help find a peaceful solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), announcing Modi's August 23 trip, said it would be a "landmark and historic" visit, the first by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since diplomatic ties were established between the two countries over 30 years back.

The prime minister will travel to Kyiv from Poland in a train that will take around 10 hours. The return trip will also be of the same duration, people familiar with the matter said. Before travelling to Ukraine, Modi will pay a two-day visit to Poland on August 21 and 22.

The prime minister's visit to Ukraine is taking place amid Kyiv's fresh military offensive into Russian territory. Modi's visit to Kyiv comes weeks after his highprofile trip to Moscow that triggered criticism from the US and some of its Western allies.

"India has substantive and independent ties with both Russia and Ukraine and these partnerships stand on their own," Tanmaya Lal, Secretary (West) in the MEA said at a media briefing.

The visit will build on continuing engagement between India and Ukraine, he said. "I would like to say that this is not a zero-sum game. The prime minister had also travelled to Russia. Many ideas were discussed," Lal said.