US President Joe Biden expressed hope that the Indian prime minister's recent visit to Ukraine and Poland would lead to an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, after fresh attacks on Tuesday left more people dead.
By Stephen J. Boss
Amid reports of further casualties and destruction on Tuesday, the White House said U.S. President Joe Biden had praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting Ukraine and Kyiv as part of efforts to end the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War Two.
The White House said the two leaders expressed “support for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law and in accordance with the UN Charter.”
His visit to Ukraine last week was the first by an Indian prime minister in Ukraine's modern history and comes at a volatile time following Russia's war with Ukraine, which began in February 2022.
Moscow is slowly gaining power in eastern Ukraine as Kiev intensifies its cross-border push.
However, Prime Minister Modi called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet with Russian leaders to discuss ending the war and offered to help achieve peace.
The prime minister's visit to Ukraine follows a visit to Russia in July, the same day a children's hospital was devastated by a Russian missile attack.
But the renewed calls for peace came too late for rescue workers using the help of dogs to search under the rubble to find more survivors.
Officials said Russia launched further deadly missile and drone attacks on Ukraine on Tuesday morning, a day after carrying out a “major” attack on Ukraine's power grid.
One of the explosions hit a hotel in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, reportedly killing two people and injuring five.
Two more people were reported killed and four injured in a drone attack on the city of Zaporizhia.
Ukraine has said it has taken about 600 Russian soldiers prisoner since the start of its offensive in Russia's Kursk region. Kiev claims control of more than 100 settlements and 1,294 square kilometres of Russian territory.
As the fighting continues, the United States and India have said they hope peace will return to the conflict-ridden region soon.
Listen to Stephan Voss' report: