Jaishankar visits Kyiv for Black Sea shipping talks

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Kyiv on Thursday for talks with Ukrainian officials on Black Sea shipping and food security, Ukrainian authorities said.

Ukraine described the trip as Jaishankar's first standalone visit to the country. It followed a meeting earlier in the week between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said after meeting Jaishankar that they discussed threats to civilian shipping in the Black Sea and the blocking of food supplies to regions that depend on maritime routes. Zelensky thanked India for what he called its commitment to ending the war.

Jaishankar told reporters in Kyiv that “every passing day of conflict” meant more death and destruction. He said it was for the parties involved to find a way forward, but added that India was ready to help “in any manner” if it could.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga called the visit a “historic moment” and said Kyiv was “constantly under attack.” Zelensky said Russia launched jet-powered Shahed drones while the Indian delegation was in the city, and said the delegation was safe because Ukrainian fighter jets shoot down most of those drones.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of civilians. Moscow has also hampered exports of Ukrainian food products through strikes on Black Sea ports and ships.