Ahead of his maiden visit to India after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said his country sees India as a powerful international force in peace negotiations. Attending his weekly briefing for foreign media via Webex from Poland’s Warsaw, he said he is on his way to New Delhi for the inter-governmental talks with India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar.
Minister Kuleba, who is on a diplomatic tour to garner the support of various nations ahead of the first peace summit in Switzerland later this year, said it is important to get more countries to the Ukraine side to defeat Russian propaganda. Kuleba blatantly rejected Russia’s accusations that terrorists who carried out the attack in Moscow last week had a Ukraine connection. “Crimes against civilians is Russian practice,” he claimed and added that Ukraine hasn't been targetting civilian infrastructure in the ongoing war.
Kuleba stressed the urgent need for air defence systems to protect Ukraine, particularly Patriot anti-missile systems. Giving details of the Russian attack since last week, he said these were carried out using 500kg to 1,500kg ammunition. "Ukraine is the only country in the world which is subjected to daily attacks by ballistic missiles,” he said.
The minister further said while North Korea is supplying arms to Russia, South Korea is still deciding to help Ukraine in this war. “Ukraine’s defeat in this war means destabilisation of global peace’’ he added.
While answering India-specific questions, he said Indian companies are welcome to take part in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Kuleba will arrive in New Delhi on Thursday for a two-day visit.