Responding to a question by foreign press on the criticism over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hug to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his Moscow visit in July this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said it is something "part of our culture".
EAM Jaishankar was addressing media in Ukraine's Kyiv where PM Modi landed on Friday and later met Ukrainian President Zelenskyy amid country's raging war with Russia.
In July this year, PM Modi had visited Russia and hugged Putin, a gesture which was criticised by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy as the visit had come in the backdrop of a Russian missile attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv which killed at least 37 people, including three children.
"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," Zelenskyy had said in a post on X that day.
Addressing the same, Jaishankar on Friday pointed to a "cultural gap", saying that "in our part of the world when people meet people, they are given to embracing each other."
It may not be a part of your culture, but I assure you it's part of ours, Jaishnkar said.
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"In fact today, I think I saw the PM also embrace President Zelenskyy. I have seen him do it with a number of other leaders in a number of other places. So, I think perhaps we have a slight cultural gap here in terms of what these courtesies mean," said Jaishankar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv under the shadow of the raging war.
In the discussions, PM Modi reiterated the need for "practical engagement" between all stakeholders to develop an innovative solution that will help build broad acceptability and contribute towards peace and stability in the region.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the prime minister conveyed to Zelenskyy India's willingness to contribute in "all possible ways" to facilitate an early return of peace to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy On Modi-Putin Hug
After meeting PM Modi on Friday in Kyiv, Ukraine President addressed the media where he responded to the Modi-Putin viral hug again. "I think it's important that the democratic world understands what is happening, and that "Putin is a killer", Zelenskyy said after meeting PM Modi in Kyiv on Friday.
Commenting on PM Modi and Putin's hug during the former's Moscow visit last month, Zelenskyy said a person like Putin would understand the magnitude of his actions "if the whole world condemns him", adding that "leaders of the world meeting with leaders who kill children means that there is no diplomatic isolation".
"As for the hugs with the PM of India or the handshakes or anything else, it's the decision made by every leader. I can't tell you anything about that. I believe that if the leaders of the world are meeting with other leaders who kill people and children, conquer territories, and invade the territories, it means that there is no diplomatic isolation to this person. It means that this is an act...," Zelenskyy said.
"A person like Putin would understand that he's doing something wrong, that he is isolated, that he's alone, and that the whole world condemns him. That is why I believe that we cannot remain silent. We have to respond. And I always respond because I know what would be the end to that...So I will keep reminding anyone we have context with, and I think this is important...," Zelenskyy added.
