Ukrainian president slams India over Crimean leader visit

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko speaks at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)-Asia Fullerton Lecture at a hotel in Singapore December 9, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su

SYDNEY/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko lashed out at India on Friday over a visit by the leader of Crimea, the former Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia, who accompanied President Vladimir Putin's annual summit delegation this week.

India does not back Western sanctions against Russia, and the unofficial trip by Sergey Aksyonov could spoil the mood before Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts U.S. President Barack Obama for India's Republic Day festivities in January.