Kyiv/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's willingness to contribute through "dialogue and diplomacy" to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.

Jaishankar said PM Modi stressed "India's willingness to contribute in all ways possible".

The two leaders also discussed PM Modi's conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Moscow in July, he added.

"It is India's view that the two sides need to engage with each other to find a solution," Jaishankar said.

Also read: India was never neutral and we were always on the side of peace: PM Narendra Modi tells Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to conflict-torn Ukraine

PM Modi is on a historic visit to Ukraine, which is reeling under the shadow of a long-drawn war with Russia.

It's the first-ever visit by an Indian prime minister after Ukraine became independent in 1991.

"This is a landmark visit. It's the first time that an Indian PM has visited Ukraine since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992. PM arrived by a special train in the morning and he was received by the First Deputy Foreign Minister at the Kyiv railway station. He met the Indian community," Jaishankar said in a media briefing.

"The Prime Minister also discussed his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin," added the Foreign Minister.

During his meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, PM Modi said India never took a neutral stance in the ongoing conflict with Russia but was always on the side of peace.

"However, we want to say that India was never neutral in its stance and from the very first day we were on the side of peace," he said during his discussion with the President.

Following his meeting with Zelenskyy, Modi said he discussed ways to boost cooperation in various sectors including agriculture, technology, pharma, among others.

Earlier in the day, Modi visited the multimedia Martyrologist exposition on children at the National Museum of History of Ukraine in Kyiv and condoled the death of the young victims of the ongoing war with Russia.

The Indian PM said he was deeply touched by the poignant exposition set up in memory of children who have lost their lives in the conflict.

PM Modi was accompanied by Volodymyr Zelenskyy whom he hugged and consoled as both the leaders turned emotional at the memorial.

The Indian PM also paid tribute to a memorial statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Kyiv.

Modi, earlier in the day, arrived in Ukraine at the invitation of Zelenskyy.