New Delhi: As Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up his two-day visit to India on December 5, New Delhi began the next phase of its delicate diplomatic balancing act, arranging a potential visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the coming months, The Indian Express, citing sources. The visit could take place as early as January 2026.
A trip by Zelenskyy would highlight India’s consistent approach to the Russia-Ukraine war, maintaining engagement with both sides. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi exemplified this strategy, visiting Moscow in July 2024 to meet Putin and travelling to Ukraine a month later.
Officials revealed that Indian and Ukrainian authorities have been in discussions for several weeks. Contacts with Zelenskyy’s office reportedly began even before Putin arrived in India.
The final timing and scope of the visit will depend on multiple 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 faces scrutiny amid a sweeping corruption scandal, could also influence the outcome.
Ukraine has historically sent its presidents to India only thrice: 1992, 2002 and 2012.
India’s Diplomatic Balance
Putin’s visit drew scrutiny from European capitals, with several envoys urging India to leverage its influence to persuade Moscow toward peace. New Delhi has consistently emphasised dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable path forward.
Modi has made New Delhi’s position clear by stating that “India is not neutral, India is on the side of peace”.
Since the outbreak of the war in February 2022, India has maintained communication with both Kyiv and Moscow. Modi has spoken with Zelenskyy by phone at least eight times, and the two leaders have met on four occasions. Most of their recent conversation was on August 30, 2025, when Modi reached Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, ahead of a planned meeting with Putin.
Quoting sources, the daily reported that India has continued engagement with both capitals on evolving peace initiatives, including the latest Trump proposal.
The war has also begun affecting India more directly. Secondary sanctions and a 25 percent penalty tariff imposed by the Trump administration on Russian oil forced Delhi to cut its imports from Russia from September 2025 onward.
Modi’s Message Of Peace
Modi’s statements during his meeting with Putin echoed the language he had used in Ukraine in August 2024, when he told Zelenskyy, “We have stayed away from the war, but we are not neutral, we are in favour of peace. We come from the land of Buddha and (Mahatma) Gandhi with a message of peace.”
Putin provided limited detail about the discussions, stating only that they had spoken “in detail on the situation in Ukraine” and on US-led talks toward a “possible peaceful settlement of this crisis”.
The Prime Minister’s Office had earlier issued a readout after the Modi-Zelenskyy call on August 30, stating that Modi reaffirmed India’s “steadfast and consistent position for peaceful settlement of the conflict” and its readiness to offer “all possible support”.
The prime minister reiterated this message after his meeting with Putin, saying, “India has always advocated for peace regarding Ukraine. We welcome all efforts being made for a peaceful and lasting resolution of this issue. India has always been ready to contribute and will continue to do so.”
Observers said that neither leader used the words “war” or “conflict” during the discussions, instead referring to the Ukraine situation as a “crisis”. This contrasts with Modi’s earlier remarks in September 2022, when he told Putin “this is not the era of war”, and in July 2024, in Moscow, when he added that “solutions can’t be found on the battlefield”.
Interestingly, the joint statement released after the December 2025 meeting did not mention the Ukraine war at all.
Next Steps With Zelenskyy
Sources said told The Indian Express that officials in New Delhi had been in touch with Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s powerful chief of staff and confidant, who resigned this week amid a corruption scandal. With Yermak now gone, they are coordinating with new officials in Zelenskyy’s office to finalise mutually convenient dates for the potential visit, ensuring the balance India has maintained in its diplomacy continues.
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