First Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Emine Dzhaparova will be on an official visit to India from 9th April to 12th April 2023, informed the Ministry of External Affairs. As per the statement, she will hold talks with Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), MEA, where both sides are expected to discuss bilateral relations, and exchange views on the current situation in Ukraine and global issues of mutual interest.
This will be the first time since the Russia-Ukraine war that a top Ukrainian minister is visiting India. In her first official visit to India, the minister is likely to discuss bilateral relations, exchange views on the current situation in Ukraine, and global issues of mutual interest.
Dzhaparova will also meet Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi, and Deputy National Security Adviser, Vikram Misri.
"India shares warm and friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation with Ukraine. Over the last 30 years of establishing diplomatic relations, bilateral cooperation between the two countries has made significant progress in the areas of trade, education, culture and defence. The visit will be an occasion to further mutual understanding and interests," an official statement said, NDTV reported.
As per Reuters, which cited the Hindu, the minister is expected to seek humanitarian aid and equipment to repair energy infrastructure damaged during Russia's invasion.
She is also expected to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Kyiv, the newspaper said, the report added.
India has so far restrained to comment on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, though, it has called for a ceasefire from both sides.
"Ukraine has requested India for more humanitarian aid, including pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and energy equipment, to repair power infrastructure damaged during the war," the Hindu newspaper said of the upcoming talks, citing diplomatic sources, Reuters added in the report.
The visit comes ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in July for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and is due back in September for a G20 summit, the newspaper said, as reported by Reuters.
According to the report, Ukraine is keen to get an invitation to take part in G20 meetings and for Zelenskiy to be invited to speak to G20 leaders during their summit, the newspaper said.