Will PM Modi persuade his friends? What call did Ukraine’s Foreign Minister make in the midst of the war by mentioning Gandhi?

Ukraine is sending Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to New Delhi as part of efforts to garner India’s support for a peace summit this summer, although the Indian side has not yet decided on the level of its participation. Ahead of his arrival in the Indian capital for a two-day visit starting on Wednesday, Kuleba invoked Mahatma Gandhi while seeking India’s support for Ukraine’s fight for independence and freedom. Although India has refrained from publicly criticizing Russia’s invasion, Kuleba said his visit would strengthen ties between India and Ukraine.

This will be Kuleba’s first visit to India after becoming Foreign Minister in 2020 and the first since the conflict began in 2022. He is set to co-chair the bilateral inter-governmental commission meeting with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. In a video message recorded in front of Gandhi’s statue in Kiev, Kuleba said Ukraine and India are two big democracies. I am sure we are ready to become good partners and friends. Noting Gandhi’s steadfastness in the face of widespread opposition, Kuleba sought to draw comparisons with Ukraine’s stance.

He said that according to Gandhi, the future depends on what we do in the present. Therefore, supporting Ukraine today means supporting freedom and independence, supporting the legacy of the great Mahatma. Kuleba will hold his important meetings in New Delhi on March 28 after Jaishankar’s return from the Southeast Asian tour that ends on Wednesday. Kuleba is also expected to meet senior officials and interact with experts and think tanks.