Lagatar24 Desk
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President Donald Trump for their diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Speaking alongside Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin acknowledged the contributions of world leaders, including China, Brazil, and South Africa, in pushing for peace.
Putin’s Acknowledgment of Global Leaders
• “I want to thank President Trump for his focus on the Ukraine settlement. Many leaders, including PM Modi, have invested time in achieving peace,” said Putin.
• He described their actions as a “noble mission”, aimed at ending hostilities and preventing further loss of life.
• Putin also praised China, Brazil, and South Africa for their diplomatic engagement.
PM Modi’s Stand on the Russia-Ukraine War
• During his meeting with Trump at the White House last month, PM Modi reiterated India’s commitment to peace.
• “India is not neutral. India is on the side of peace. This is not an era of war. A solution can’t be found on the battlefield,” PM Modi stated.
• He emphasized dialogue and diplomacy as the only paths to peace and backed Trump’s initiative to broker a ceasefire.
India’s Role in Peace Talks
• Since the war began in February 2022, PM Modi has engaged with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
• He met Putin in Moscow during the 22nd India-Russia bilateral summit in July last year and later visited Ukraine in August.
• Modi reaffirmed India’s willingness to play an active role in the peace process.
Putin Agrees to Ceasefire With Conditions
• Russia has accepted the US’s 30-day ceasefire proposal, but Putin has laid out multiple conditions to address what he calls the “root causes of the conflict.”
• Ukraine had already agreed to the proposal following negotiations in Saudi Arabia.
• Putin claimed Kyiv was pressured by the US into accepting the truce.
Trump’s Response and Zelenskyy’s Reaction
• Following Putin’s conditional acceptance, Trump urged Russia to do the “right thing.”
• However, Zelenskyy criticized Putin, suggesting he was reluctant to fully commit to the ceasefire but was hesitant to outright reject it due to Trump’s involvement.
