Modi reaffirms India's support for peace agreement in Ukraine in phone call with Zelensky.
The Ukrainian leader said that Modi supported a ceasefire in the war and hoped that the discussion would be part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his support on Saturday for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Modi's office said.
Zelensky, speaking in a video address recorded overnight, said that Modi supported Ukraine's request for a ceasefire in the war with Russia and hoped that this would be part of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China.
Modi's office, in a statement, said that Zelensky shared the Indian Prime Minister's perspective on recent developments related to Ukraine, while Modi emphasized India's support for efforts aimed at restoring peace as quickly as possible.
"The leaders also reviewed the progress of the India-Ukraine bilateral partnership and discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in all areas of mutual interest," he said.
Modi is expected to attend the SCO summit, which begins on Sunday in the Chinese city of Tianjin.
"I just spoke with Indian Prime Minister Modi about exactly what is happening. Russia is continuing the war, continuing to kill," Zelensky said.
"It is important that the Prime Minister of India supports the idea that a ceasefire is necessary, and it would be a clear sign that Russia is ready for diplomacy. We are counting on this being heard at the meeting in China."
The statement from Modi's cabinet made no mention of a ceasefire request.
Ukraine, backed by European countries, has long called for a ceasefire in hostilities as an important initial step toward resolving the conflict.
US President Donald Trump initially called on Russia to agree to a ceasefire, but since his talks this month with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, he has said that a ceasefire is not a vital element in reaching a solution.
In a speech on Saturday, following overnight attacks in southeastern Ukraine, Zelensky said Moscow had used the time spent preparing for a meeting of leaders from both countries to launch new attacks against his country.
On Friday, Zelensky mentioned the deadline given by Trump to decide on new measures against Russia, should Putin not commit to a one-on-one meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
