MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2023) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since the start of Russia's special military operation in February 2022, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima on Saturday.
Modi and Zelenskyy were invited to the summit as special guests.
"Met President (Zelenskyy) in Hiroshima. Conveyed our clear support for dialogue and diplomacy to find a way forward. We will continue extending humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine," Modi tweeted.
The tweet also showed both leaders shaking hands and holding talks in an expanded format, with the participation of Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Zelenskyy said on Twitter that he briefed Modi in detail on Kiev's "peace formula" and invited him to join its implementation. The president also spoke about Ukraine's needs in humanitarian demining and mobile hospitals and thanked India for "supporting our country's territorial integrity and sovereignty" and providing humanitarian aid.
Earlier on Saturday, Zelenskyy also met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, thanking him for London's leadership in the coalition of countries willing to supply Kiev with fighter jets and discussing the development of bilateral relations between the two countries. The Ukrainian president also met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and spoke about Rome's defense and political support for Ukraine, including the need to improve Ukraine's air defense capabilities and flight training for pilots.
