Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fiercely scolded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for hugging Russian President Vladimir Putin on the same day that Kremlin forces bombed a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Mr. Modi embraced Mr. Putin during the prime minister’s first visit to Moscow since the Russians invaded Ukraine.
“A Russian missile struck the largest children’s hospital in Ukraine, targeting young cancer patients. Many were buried under the rubble,” Mr. Zelenskyy wrote on X. “It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day.”
The situation underscored the fraught relationship between India and its democratic partners.
India, with Mr. Modi at the helm, is viewed as a key ally in the Indo-Pacific and a counterweight to China’s aggression in the region.
Yet Mr. Modi has come under fire for his treatment of religious minorities in India, and his friendly relationship with Mr. Putin is causing heartburn in the West.
India is purchasing oil at discounted prices from Russia, filling Moscow’s coffers at a time when many countries are trying to squeeze the Kremlin’s finances for its war machine.
Russian forces on Monday struck the hospital in Kyiv and other sites across Ukraine in one of its most brutal assaults since its invasion began in February 2022. Mr. Zelenskyy said more than three dozen people died, including 13 children.
During Mr. Modi’s visit to Moscow, he did not bring up the strikes but called Russia a “reliable friend.” India has walked a fine line on Russia’s actions in Ukraine, saying the fighting should end but refusing to join the West in formal condemnations of Moscow.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.