About a month before India is set to host the G-20 leaders summit, the Ukraine Embassy here will have its new Ambassador, a post which has been vacant for over a year. Deputy Defence Minister of Ukraine Major General Oleksandr Polishchuk (retd), the new envoy, is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on August 8 and is expected to take charge immediately, said diplomatic sources.
Earlier this week in Kyiv, India handed over two batches of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. On Thursday, Indian Ambassador to Ukraine Harsh Jain handed over the 14th consignment of humanitarian aid, comprising essential medicines to Ihor Kuzin, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Health, who thanked the Government of India for the assistance, the Indian Embassy said on social media.
Mr. Jain also handed over humanitarian aid comprising sleeping bags, blankets and tents to Shyroke Village Council and Zaporizhzhia Geriatric Boarding House in presence of Yuriy Malashko, head of the Zaporizhzhia state administration.
The further development of Ukraine-India relationship in all spheres of common interest, seeking participation in G-20 events during India’s presidency, New Delhi’s role in the implementation of a peace formula and financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine would be key areas for the envoy, a diplomatic source said.
Maj. Gen. Polishchuk retired from active service in 2010 and has since held senior civil service positions in the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Office of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine. There are currently eight Deputy Defence Ministers in Ukraine.
In July 2022, then Ukrainian Ambassador in India Igor Polikha, among the most senior European diplomats with extensive knowledge of India, was relieved of his post by Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “After seven years of appointment to India as the ambassador of any country, it is normal for an ambassador to return home. I am a career diplomat. I will return whenever the official process is completed,” Mr. Polikha had told The Hindu then.
Ukraine has been requesting India for more humanitarian aid, including pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and energy equipment to repair power infrastructure damaged during the war. Both sides have been holding discussions on these aspects.
On Saturday, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval reached Saudi Arabia for a dialogue to end the Ukraine crisis being hosted by Riyadh on August 5 and 6. The dialogue, held in Jeddah, is being attended by around 40 countries but does not include Russia. In June, India attended the international Ukraine Recovery Conference held in London hosted by the U.K. jointly with Ukraine. New Delhi has so far refrained from condemning Russian actions and its oil purchases from Moscow have reached record levels.
In May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit at Hiroshima in Japan in the first meeting since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.
In April, Emine Dzhaparova, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, visited India. She had said that India should invite representatives from Ukraine for the G-20 summit. “Presidency of G-20 brings additional responsibility to India. My message during the visit is, let us consider participation of Ukrainian officials at the G-20 summit to be held in India. During the September G-20 summit, my President will also be happy to speak on behalf of the Ukrainian people,” she had said at a think-tank event.
However, consensus on the joint communique at the G-20 summit remains elusive with deep divisions between the West and Russia and China over the language on Ukraine among other issues.
