Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday expressed discontent over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia, which he called a “devastating blow to peace efforts.”
Images from Monday’s meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Modi, who is now on a two-day visit to Russia, showed the two leaders talking and hugging each other.
Zelenskyy took to social media platform X (formally Twitter) and stated that on the same day, 37 people, including three children, were killed and 170 others were injured following Russia’s missile strike at a major children’s hospital in Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv.
“In Ukraine today, 37 people were killed, three of whom were children, and 170 were injured, including 13 children, as a result of Russia’s brutal missile strike. A Russian missile struck the largest children’s hospital in Ukraine, targeting young cancer patients. Many were buried under the rubble. It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day,” he said.
Congress’s Reaction
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also criticised PM Modi for meeting Putin amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“Self-styled Vishwaguru, who also gave himself the title of Vishwabandhu, is in Moscow the day a children’s hospital in Ukraine is bombed. What happened to the ‘Ukraine mein war rukwa di’ boast?” Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Modi’s trip to Moscow is his first to Russia since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in 2022. India has consistently called for negotiations and diplomacy to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and restore peace.
In addition to thanking the Russian President for hosting him, Prime Minister Modi said he was looking forward to their discussions, which he said will further strengthen the relationship between Russia and India.
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