EAM Jaishankar to visit Ukraine, Poland from Sept 3-5

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to travel to Ukraine and Poland from September 3 to 5, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The primary focus of these bilateral talks is expected to be on strengthening relations, discussing regional developments, and addressing mutual concerns. During his visit, Jaishankar will meet with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

The Ukraine leg of Jaishankar's trip follows a recent "substantive meeting" between Ukraine's first deputy head of the office of the president, Sergiy Kyslytsya, and India's Ambassador to Ukraine Anjani Kumar. The meeting, which took place over prospects for Ukraine-India relations, included discussions on India's role in ending Russia's war against Ukraine. Kyslytsya expressed hope for continued dialogue and translating shared interests in peace into concrete steps.

The visit also comes in the wake of an unfortunate incident: an Indian national was killed in a Russian aerial attack on Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirming 12 fatalities, including the Indian citizen. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv is assisting with the repatriation of the mortal remains and has reached out to the victim's family for support.

Jaishankar's visit to Poland precedes an expected visit to India by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Polish Ambassador to India Piotr Antoni Switalski confirmed that preparations are underway, describing the visit as a continuation of political dialogue between the two nations.