Hiroshima, Japan, May 21 (EFE).- India’s prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday concluded his visit to Japan where he attended the G7 Summit in the city of Hiroshima, where Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise appearance.

Modi held joint meetings with various leaders during the summit, including Zelenskyy, whom he met for the first time since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

(From R to L) Comoros’ President Azali Assoumani, World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk out from the Peace Memorial Museum to a wreath-laying ceremony in the Peace Memorial Park at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, 21 May 2023. EFE/EPA/Takashi Aoyama

“It has been a fruitful visit to Japan,” Modi wrote on Twitter. “Met several world leaders during the G7 Summit and discussed a variety of issues with them. Gratitude to PM @kishida230, the Government and people of Japan for their warmth.”

Modi arrived in Hiroshima for the summit on Friday upon an invitation from Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida, marking the first visit to the Japanese city by an Indian premier since 1974.

According to the Indian foreign ministry, Modi expressed to Zelenskyy his concerns about the situation and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as well as the impact it has had on developing countries.

“India will do whatever possible to find a solution to Ukraine conflict,” Modi told Zelenskyy in a meeting that lasted for half an hour.

Leaders of the Group of Seven nations, guest countries and international organizations pose for a photo after laying flowers at the Cenotaph for the Victims of the Atomic Bomb, back left, at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, western Japan, 21 May 2023. EFE/EPA/JAPAN POOL

Despite calls from Western nations for India to firmly oppose the invasion and distance itself from Russia, India has remained neutral.

While New Delhi has conveyed its concerns over the conflict to Moscow, India has continued to buy military hardware and large quantities of crude oil from Russia, bypassing international sanctions.

Besides the meeting with Zelenskyy, Modi also held talks with his British counterpart, Rishi Sunak, with whom he discussed the free trade agreement that India and the United Kingdom have been negotiating for more than a year.

The Indian prime minister also met with German chancellor Olaf Scholz, Kishida and French president Emmanuel Macron, among others.

From Japan, he flew to Papua New Guinea for the first-ever visit by an Indian prime minister to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum, set to kick off on Monday.

Modi is scheduled to visit Australia for a meeting with prime minister Anthony Albanese to discuss bilateral ties.EFE

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