Ukraine and India/Dr Oleksandr Polishchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine
Strengthening international security, ensuring food and energy security and safeguarding freedom of navigation fully align with India’s core interests. India will advance these goals if it uses its considerable influence on Moscow to stop the war
In August, the Republic of India and Ukraine traditionally exchange greetings on the occasion of their respective independence days. In his message this year, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the contribution of our countries and peoples to the struggle for freedom and dignity. The president also emphasised several promising areas of mutually beneficial Ukrainian–Indian cooperation, such as science, technology, trade and culture.
The profound historical roots of the ties between our nations reach back to the era of Aryavarta, the legendary “land of the noble Aryans,” which, according to some researchers, was located on the territory of present-day Ukraine.
Ukraine’s independence and the end of empire
Modern history of Ukraine began on August 24, 1991, when our parliament adopted the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. The Act was subsequently endorsed by a nationwide referendum on December 1, 1991, in which more than 90 per cent of Ukrainian citizens voted in favour. The centuries-long aspiration of Ukrainians for freedom and independence was ultimately realised in a democratic manner, echoing the principle of non-violence proclaimed by Mahatma Gandhi.
It is worth noting that the regions currently under temporary Russian occupation strongly supported Ukraine’s independence in 1991. The referendum results were: Donetsk region-83.9 per cent, Luhansk region-83.86 per cent, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea-54.19 per cent and Sevastopol-57.07 per cent, in favour of independence.
Ukraine’s independence was swiftly recognised worldwide. On December 2, 1991, Poland and Canada were the first ones to extend recognition, followed within days by Hungary, the Baltic states and many others. On December 8, 1991, the Belavezha Accords, signed by Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, formally declared the dissolution of the Soviet Union. India recognised Ukraine’s independence on December 26, 1991. Diplomatic relations were established on January 17, 1992, with the embassy of India in Kyiv formally opening in May, and the embassy of Ukraine in New Delhi commencing operations in February 1993.
Building Ukrainian–Indian relations
The interstate dialogue initiated in those years was marked by an active exchange of high-level visits: three presidents of Ukraine paid official visits to India, while two presidents of India visited Ukraine. A natural continuation of this bilateral dialogue was the transition, in December 2012, to cooperation within the framework of a Comprehensive Partnership.
By 2021, before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, bilateral trade had reached nearly $3.4 billion, marking one of the highest levels in the history of our economic relations. Cooperation in the military-technical sphere helped India to strengthen its defence capabilities, particularly in the naval component. Space cooperation contributed to India’s development of the LVM3 launch vehicle, which in July 2023 carried the Chandrayaan-3 lunar module into orbit. People-to-people exchanges were equally significant: more than 20,000 Indian students annually pursued higher education in Ukrainian universities.
After a long pause, the first meeting between the president of Ukraine and the prime minister of India took place in November 2021 on the margins of the Climate Summit in Glasgow. Since May 2023, such meetings and telephone conversations have become regular.
The historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ukraine on August 23, 2024, opened a new chapter in bilateral relations. It affirmed the aspiration of the leaders of both democracies to advance towards a strategic partnership. Today, the foreign ministries and diplomatic missions of both countries are working diligently to implement this shared objective. A roadmap for strategic partnership may be signed during the upcoming visit of President Zelensky to India.
India’s role in global peace
India is not neutral in Russia’s war against Ukraine but consistently advocates for diplomatic dialogue. This position was reiterated by Prime Minister Modi during his meeting with President Zelensky in Kyiv. The prime minister’s statement that “this is not an era of war” has become a guiding articulation of India’s stance and efforts to promote a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
On the eve of the US–Russia summit in Alaska on August 15, India’s ministry of external affairs emphasised that such dialogue gives hope for ending the conflict. In his telephone conversation with Kremlin’s leader on August 18, Prime Minister Modi underlined India’s consistent position in favour of a peaceful resolution through diplomacy and dialogue, reiterating India’s support for all efforts in this regard.
Unfortunately, the Alaska meeting coincided with massive Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, causing civilian deaths and injuries. As Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha stated, despite tireless US efforts and Ukraine’s readiness for a just peace, Russia continues to terrorise civilians, ignores deadlines and shows no genuine interest in ending the war.
President Zelensky emphasised that Ukraine is ready for genuine decisions that can bring peace, but Ukrainians cannot agree to surrender their land to invaders. For any nation, territorial integrity is the foundation of sovereignty—a principle that resonates strongly with India. As External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar aptly noted in an interview with the Netherlands-based broadcaster NOS: “No country negotiates a part of its territory.”
The global stakes
Will Russia be ready to embrace a just and lasting peace in Ukraine? Some insights come from the memoir of former US deputy secretary of state and ambassador to Russia (2020-2022) John J. Sullivan, Midnight in Moscow: A Memoir from the Front Lines of Russia’s War Against the West (2023). Sullivan argues that Russian aggression under Vladimir Putin aims not at dismantling liberal democracy directly, but at overthrowing the international order established after World War II—a system built precisely to prevent aggressive wars. Putin envisions a world where Russian power—essentially his personal power in the tradition of tsars—is unconstrained by international norms, rules or obligations.
The seasoned diplomat warns: if the international system painstakingly built after 1945 is overturned, what will replace it? A world of unchecked aggression, where “might makes right”? If so, humanity will have effectively turned the clock back to 1939.
Shared responsibility, shared values
If Ukraine lays down its arms without clear security guarantees and a ceasefire, it will cease to exist as a sovereign state. If Russia stops its aggression, the war will end immediately. This is why the key to peace lies in sustained pressure on Russia, including strong economic sanctions.
We fully respect India’s right, as that of any sovereign state, to build relations according to its national interests. Yet strengthening international security and law, ensuring food and energy security and safeguarding freedom of navigation fully align with India’s core interests. India will advance these goals if it uses its considerable influence on Moscow to stop aggression and achieve peace.
In Indian society, the protection and care of children is one of the most fundamental principles. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia. India could play an important role in bringing them back to their families. This is not about politics, it is about universal human values and moral principles.
After two years of serving as Ukraine’s ambassador to India and engaging with hundreds of Indian colleagues and friends, I have come to a firm conviction: alongside the undeniable love of peace, what unites our nations is the readiness to defend independence and the determination to resist any attempts to turn history backward. Today, our peoples are convincingly demonstrating this shared resolve.