Diplomatic Tightrope: After Hosting Putin, India Now Plans To Welcome Zelenskyy – What This Means For The Russia-Ukraine War | World News
New Delhi: While Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up his two-day visit to India on December 5, New Delhi has begun the next phase of its delicate diplomatic balancing act by arranging a possible visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the coming months, The Indian Express reported, citing sources. The visit could take place as early as January 2026.
A trip by Zelenskyy will highlight India’s consistent approach to the Russia-Ukraine war and its continued relations with both sides. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi demonstrated an example of this strategy by visiting Moscow in July 2024 to meet Putin and traveling to Ukraine a month later.
Indian and Ukrainian officials have been in talks for several weeks, officials said. Contacts with Zelenskyy’s office reportedly started before Putin arrived in India.
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The final timing and scope of the visit will depend on many factors, including the progress of US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative and developments on the battlefield. Domestic politics in Ukraine, where Zelenskyy’s government is under scrutiny for a major corruption scandal, could also affect the outcome.
Historically, Ukraine has sent its presidents to India only three times: in 1992, 2002 and 2012.
India’s Diplomatic Balance
Putin’s visit was scrutinized in European capitals, with many envoys urging India to use its influence to persuade Moscow to make peace. New Delhi has consistently emphasized dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable way forward.
Modi made New Delhi’s position clear by saying, “India is not neutral, it is for peace.”
Since the outbreak of war in February 2022, India has maintained communications with both Kiev and Moscow. Modi spoke to Zelenskyy by phone at least eight times, and the two leaders met four times. Most of their last conversations were on August 30, 2025, when Modi reached Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit ahead of a planned meeting with Putin.
Citing sources, the newspaper said India maintains contact with both capitals on promoting peace initiatives, including Trump’s latest offer.
The war also began to affect India more directly. Secondary sanctions and 25 percent tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Russian oil have forced Delhi to cut imports from Russia from September 2025.
Modi’s Peace Message
Modi’s statements during his meeting with Putin echoed the language he used to Zelenskyy in Ukraine in August 2024: “We stayed away from war, but we are not neutral, we are for peace. We come from the land of Buddha and (Mahatma) Gandhi with the message of peace.”
Putin gave limited details about the discussions, stating that they spoke only “in detail about the situation in Ukraine” and about US-led talks on “a possible peaceful solution to this crisis.”
The Prime Minister’s Office had issued a statement after Modi-Zelenskyy’s call on August 30, saying Modi had reaffirmed India’s “determined and consistent position for the peaceful resolution of the conflict” and its readiness to offer “all possible support”.
The Prime Minister reiterated this message after his meeting with Putin and said, “India has always advocated peace on the Ukraine issue. We welcome all efforts made for a peaceful and lasting solution to this problem. India has always been ready to contribute and will continue to do so.”
Observers said neither leader used the words “war” or “conflict” during the talks, instead referring to the situation in Ukraine as a “crisis.” This contrasts with Modi’s previous statements, in which he told Putin in September 2022 that “this is not the age of war” and in Moscow in July 2024 that “solutions cannot be found on the battlefield”.
Interestingly, in the joint statement issued after the December 2025 meeting, there was no mention of the Ukraine war.
Next Steps with Zelenskyy
Sources told The Indian Express that officials in New Delhi were in contact with Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s powerful private secretary and confidant, who resigned this week over the corruption scandal. With Yermak gone, they are coordinating with new officials in Zelenskyy’s office to set mutually convenient dates for the potential visit, ensuring that the balance India has maintained in its diplomacy continues.
