SOURCE: ANI
Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba on Monday extended his Holi wishes and announced that he will be visiting India this week, adding that the visit will further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
In a post on X, Dmystro said, “Today, India celebrates Holi, the most beautiful and colorful spring holiday. I wish everyone a happy Holi! Standing here in Kyiv, in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s monument, I am also pleased to announce that this week I will pay my first ever visit to India.”
Additionally, in a video message recorded in front of the Mahatma Gandhi monument in the Ukrainian capital, the minister highlighted that India and Ukraine are two big democracies and Ukraine is fighting for the same thing that Mahatma Gandhi fought for: freedom and independence.
“Today, India celebrates Holi, the most beautiful and colourful spring holiday. I want to wish everyone a happy Holi. Standing here in Kiev in front of Mahatma’s. Gandhi’s monument, I’m pleased to announce that this week, I will pay my first ever visit to India. A few days ago, President Zelenskyy spoke with Prime Minister Modi. My visit will further strengthen our relations. Ukraine and India are two big democracies,” he said.
“I’m certain we are set to be good partners and friends. Mohandas Karamchan Gandhi the great Mahatma was one of the most prominent figures of the 20th century. His ideal and final goal were freedom and independence. And this is exactly what Ukrainians are fighting for today, freedom and independence. When Mahatma began his struggle, there were very few optimists who believed in him. But he persisted and achieved his high goals. His life remains an inspiration for the whole world,” he added.
The Minister also highlighted that the Mahatma Gandhi used to say that future depends on the present actions and added that the supporting Ukraine means supporting freedom and Independence.
“When Ukraine faced Russia’s full scale invasion two years ago, very few people believed we would survive. But we persisted, and we will succeed in defending our freedom and independence. According to Gandhi, the future depends on what we do in the present,” he said.
“Hence, supporting Ukraine today means supporting freedom and independence, supporting the legacy of the great Mahatma. I believe we can lay a solid foundation for the future of our mutually beneficial relations. Dear Indian friends, I look forward to seeing you this week in New Delhi,” he added.
On March 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for India’s support for Kyiv’s sovereignty and territorial integrity amid its war against Russia, adding that India’s participation at the peace formula meetings is very important for Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy’s statement came after he held a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday