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[Global Times special correspondent in Russia Xiao Xinxin] According to the Indian Economic Times website on the 16th, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to India on the 15th to protest against Ukrainian President Zelensky's remarks on Indian Prime Minister Modi's visit to Russia. In addition, after this incident, the Indian government postponed the long-planned India-Ukraine joint cultural working group meeting. The report said that this clearly expressed India's dissatisfaction with Zelensky's remarks.

Modi visited Russia from July 8 to 9 and held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the visit, Zelensky expressed dissatisfaction and criticism on social media about Modi's visit and his embrace of Putin in Moscow, saying that "this is extremely disappointing and a devastating blow to peace efforts."

Indian Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin shook hands before the Russia-India talks held in the Kremlin on July 9, local time. (Visual China)

The Economic Times said that Modi's visit to Russia has greatly promoted the economic partnership between India and Russia. In contrast, India and Ukraine have always maintained a "lukewarm" relationship. This is mainly due to Ukraine's military cooperation with Pakistan, Ukraine's criticism of India's 1998 nuclear test, and Ukraine's anti-Indian stance on the Kashmir issue at the United Nations.

The Ukrainian newspaper "Kiev Independent" said on the 16th that India has been calling for a diplomatic solution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but at the same time has established close economic ties with Russia. Against the backdrop of Western sanctions against Russia, India has become one of the main buyers of Russian oil. The report said that during the talks, although Modi "implicitly condemned" Putin for the attack on the Children's Hospital in Kiev, the talks still deepened the economic ties between India and Russia and strengthened the partnership between the two countries.

The report said Ukraine has been trying to involve India in its efforts to advance the peace process, but the latter has largely "stayed on the sidelines." Modi did not attend the Ukrainian peace summit held in Switzerland in June, and Indian representatives did not sign the joint statement issued after the summit.