Modi, Zelenskyy Hold Talks Ahead Of SCO Summit; Ukraine Urges India To Signal Peace
Modi and Zelenskyy discuss peace efforts ahead of the SCO Summit in China, as India’s role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict takes centre stage.( image courtesy AI generated image via GPT-5)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 30, 2025, held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China, where he was scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The call marked the second such exchange between the two leaders this month, focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine, humanitarian concerns, and prospects for peace.
What did Zelenskyy and Modi speak about?
According to an official statement, President Zelenskyy briefed PM Modi on the latest developments in Ukraine, while the Indian leader reiterated New Delhi’s consistent stance advocating dialogue and a peaceful resolution.
“We exchanged views on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian aspect, and efforts to restore peace and stability. India extends full support to all efforts in this direction,” Modi wrote on X.
Zelenskyy, in a social media post, said India was “ready to make the necessary efforts and to deliver the appropriate signal to Russia and other leaders” during the SCO summit. He stressed that “the end of this war must begin with an immediate ceasefire” and confirmed that both leaders had coordinated their positions ahead of Modi’s high-level meetings in Tianjin.
What’s the background to the Modi-Zelenskyy talks?
The conversation came a day before PM Modi’s trilateral engagement with Putin and Xi, a development analysts describe as significant given mounting global tensions. The SCO summit takes place against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff measures, which have unsettled global trade and put economic pressure on India, China, and Russia alike.
Zelenskyy also informed Modi about his recent discussions with Trump and European leaders, reiterating Ukraine’s willingness for direct talks with Moscow. The two leaders additionally reviewed India-Ukraine bilateral relations, including planned high-level visits and preparations for the Joint Intergovernmental Commission.
This was their second conversation in August, following an earlier call on August 11. The leaders last met in person during the G7 Summit in Hiroshima in May 2023.
Modi arrived in China on August 30, 2025, marking his first visit to the country in seven years, with bilateral and multilateral engagements on the margins of the SCO summit.
