Watch: Modi's Hand On Zelenskyy's Shoulder, Walk And Talk During Historic Ukraine Visit

Kyiv: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a historic visit to Ukraine came weeks after Russia tour, on Friday met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and paid homage to war victims at the Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv.

Prime Minister Modi and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy honoured the memory of children at the Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv, as the war torn country mourns the life of its citizens.

Modi's gesture while meeting Zelenskyy, as he put hand on his shoulder accompanied by a warm hug, send out a ‘big brother’ message from India to Kyiv as it goes through tough times amid war with Russia.

PM Modi, Zelenskyy To Hold Important Bilateral Discussions 

PM Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a brief but historic visit to Ukraine that is focused on exploring ways to find a negotiated settlement to the ongoing conflict in the country.

Modi arrived in Kyiv from Poland onboard a 'Rail Force One' under tight security, in the second and final leg of his two-nation trip, and comes nearly six weeks after his trip to Moscow.

The schedule of the prime minister in the Ukrainian capital is being kept under wraps considering security protocols.

Modi is visiting Ukraine nearly six weeks after his high-profile trip to Moscow during which he held extensive talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The visit is being seen by many as a diplomatic balancing act.

Following talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Modi said on Thursday that the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia are a matter of "deep concern" and that "dialogue and diplomacy" is the way forward to restore peace.

Since the beginning of the conflict in 2022, India has been calling for resolving it peacefully through talks.

"This is India's firm belief that no problem can be solved on the battlefield. In any crisis, the loss of lives of innocent people has become the biggest challenge for the whole of humanity," he said in Poland.

"We support dialogue and diplomacy for the early restoration of peace and stability. For this, India, along with its friendly countries, is ready to provide all possible support," he said in a media statement with Tusk.

Modi met Zelenskyy on sidelines of G7 Summit in June

Modi held talks with Zelenskyy in June on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy's Apulia.

In the meeting, Modi conveyed to the Ukrainian President that India would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict and that the way to peace is through "dialogue and diplomacy".

Modi also told Zelenskyy that India believes in a "human-centric" approach to find a solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

In the meeting, the Ukrainian president invited the prime minister to visit Kyiv.