Ukrainian minister to visit India

NEW DELHI: A Ukrainian minister will visit India from Sunday in the first face-to-face talks between the two countries since Russia’s invasion of its European neighbour last year.

India imports much of its military hardware from Russia, and is walking a delicate balancing act between its increased security cooperation with Western countries and its reliance on Russia for defence and oil imports. Its longstanding security ties with Russia have put New Delhi in an awkward diplomatic position, and while it has called for an end to hostilities in Ukraine, it has refused to condemn the invasion.

Emine Dzhaparova, Kyiv´s first deputy foreign minister, will “exchange views on the current situation in Ukraine” with a senior member of India´s foreign ministry, according to an Indian government statement.

India shares “warm and friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation” with Ukraine and the visit will be an occasion to “further mutual understanding and interests”, the foreign ministry statement added.