Indian PM Modi urges peace talks on his first visit to Ukraine
Source: live broadcast of Zelensky and Modi press conference
During his official visit to Ukraine on Friday, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi met with Volodymyr Zelensky and called for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Modi, who met with Russian president Vladimir Putin in early July, highlighted the importance of resolving the conflict through diplomatic means.
At a press conference that followed the official talks, Modi hinted that Delhi could help broker a peace deal. “We must move towards dialogue without delay,” said the Indian leader, adding that “India is prepared to play a proactive role in peace efforts. Personally, I am ready to assist as a friend in achieving peace.”
This visit marks the first time an Indian prime minister has traveled to Ukraine since the country gained independence. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the event as significant, and the two leaders signed four agreements covering medicine, agriculture, humanitarian aid, and cultural exchange.
Modi spoke about India’s “dual role” in the conflict, which makes Delhi prioritize humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. “During a crisis, the needs of the Ukrainian people are varied. To address these needs, we have taken a humanitarian approach and made every effort to provide assistance,” he explained.
Modi explained his country’s nuanced cautious stance on the conflict. “Our role has been to stay away from the conflict. But this does not mean we are indifferent. From the beginning, we have decided to support peace,” he added.
In 2025, the deadliest year yet for civilians, Ukraine’s three largest charitable foundations raised a record 105.9 billion hryvnias. It is more than the years 2022–2024 combined. According to the UN, humanitarian aid in Ukraine was delivered by more than 450 organisations, reaching five million people over the course of the year. Civic foundations hold licences to purchase lethal weapons, which is a function states have monopolised for centuries. These record sums were underwritten by international government grants, which means foreign states now channel billions directly through Ukrainian civic funds, bypassing inter-state channels. It is hard to imagine a stronger institutional trust in civil society.
During the GLOBSEC Defence Forum 2026 in Prague, representatives of “Steel Front”, an initiative by Rinat Akhmetov, discussed with NATO delegations, military officials, and representatives of the European defense industry the lessons learned from Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
After the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine witnessed an unprecedented wave of private support for the army. Citizens, big businesses, charitable foundations, and international philanthropists began financing the country’s defense alongside state assistance provided by international partners. Estimates of total private contributions range from tens to hundreds of billions of hryvnias. However, determining the exact amount remains difficult. In many cases, companies combine military aid, humanitarian programs, tax payments, social spending, and employee support in their reporting.
Rinat Akhmetov’s military initiative, “Steel Front”, has delivered a batch of drones worth UAH 214 million to the 1st “Azov” Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. This shipment is part of the Metinvest Group’s ongoing support for the unit in 2025.
On October 6, the Administrative Cassation Court within the Supreme Court of Ukraine continued hearing case No. 990/80/25, in which the fifth President and leader of the party “European Solidarity”, Petro Poroshenko, seeks to have Presidential Decree No. 81/2025 from February 12, 2025 — enacting sanctions by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) — declared illegal and annulled. The plaintiff claims the document was falsified and that the sanctions are a tool of political persecution of the opposition, contrary to international norms. Government representatives deny the allegations and insist their actions were lawful. Journalists of Bukvy were present at the hearing.