PM Modi pays floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Kyiv

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday. Accompanied by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he honoured the Memory of Children at the Martyrologist Exposition at the Ukraine National Museum in Kyiv.

The Gandhi statue, a symbol of the enduring legacy of Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of peace and non-violence, stands prominently at AV Fomin Botanical Garden. The bronze statue, unveiled in 2020 to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, serves as a poignant reminder of his teachings.

The Memory of Children commemorates the young lives lost during the full-scale Russian invasion, a tragic chapter in Ukraine’s recent history. The Ukraine Museum’s exhibition showcases documents and artefacts from the most intense military conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries, highlighting the courageous struggle of Ukrainians for their freedom, independence, and cultural identity.

After this, PM Modi will then head to the Mariinskyi palace, where he will be welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

This will be followed by a restricted meeting between the two leaders to discuss key issues. High-level delegation meetings will follow, where important discussions on bilateral cooperation are expected. Document exchanges will take place to formalise agreements and collaborations between the two nations.

Earlier in the day, on his arrival at the Hyatt Hotel in Kyiv, PM Modi received a rousing welcome from the Indian community, with many students awaiting his arrival and hoping for a glimpse of the Prime Minister.

In a post on X, Modi shared, “Reached Kyiv earlier this morning. The Indian community accorded a very warm welcome.”

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, also noted on X, “PM Narendra Modi arrived in Kyiv this morning on a landmark official visit.”

This is the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.