PM Narendra Modi hugged Vladimir Putin in July, and some are still miffed about it

Ever since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office back in 2014, he has greeted the heads of other states, be it during their visit to India or when he is visiting a foreign country, with a hug.?While this has resulted in some meme-worthy images, like that time when PM Modi hugged the then-French President Fran?ois Hollande, the gesture has widely been appreciated. Many international observers have even called it 'Modi hug diplomacy.'??

CREDIT: AP

Why?Zelenskyy had a problem on Modi Putin hug

But one such hug is now embroiled in an international controversy, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy having an issue with Modi hugging Russian President Vladimir Putin.??

PM Modi, who visited Russia in July, had hugged the Russian president who welcomed him. However, according to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, the hug was a "devastating blow to peace efforts."??

CREDIT: REUTERS

“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 posted on X.??

Modi hugged Zelenskyy

Incidentally, PM Modi, who visited Ukraine, also greeted President Zelenskyy with a warm hug on Friday.??

CREDIT: IANS

Part of our culture:Jaishankar

Reacting to Zelenskyy and criticisms by some Western media, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said it was a part of Indian culture.??

“In our part of the world, when people meet people, they are given to embracing each other; it may not be part of your culture, but I can assure you it is part of ours. In fact, today, I think, I saw Prime Minister (Modi) also embrace President Zelenskyy,” Jaishankar said while responding to a journalist.??

CREDIT: IANS

“And I have seen him do it with a number of other leaders in a number of other places. So, I think we have a slight ... cultural gap here in terms of what these courtesies mean,” Jaishankar added.

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