Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to have rebuffed Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine directly, telling Russian President Vladimir Putin that now is not the time for war.
In what was the latest in a series of setbacks for the Russian leader, Modi told him of the need to “move on a path of peace” and reminded him of the importance of “democracy, diplomacy and dialogue”.
Modi’s comments came during a face-to-face meeting on Friday, on the sidelines of a regional summit, and underscored Russia’s growing isolation on the diplomatic stage. They came just a day after Putin admitted that China too had “questions and concerns” about the invasion.
“I know that today’s era is not war and we have spoken to you many times over the phone that democracy, diplomacy and dialogue are all these things that touch the world,” Modi told Putin during the summit. of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Shanghai. the city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan.
“We will certainly have an opportunity to discuss how we can move forward on the path of peace in the coming days, I will also have an opportunity to understand your point of view,” he added, according to a readout of the meeting by India’s ministry. of Foreign Affairs.
Putin responded by telling the Indian leader that he was aware of his concerns.
“I know your position on the conflict in Ukraine and I know your concerns. We want this to end as soon as possible,” he said.
Modi’s apparent criticism of Russia’s invasion is only the latest setback for Putin, whose forces have suffered a series of major battlefield defeats in recent weeks. Ukraine claims to have recaptured around 8,000 square kilometers of territory.
Diplomatically, Moscow also appears to be on a losing streak, and this was highlighted by exchanges at the summit in Samarkand, which brings together leaders from Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran and four Central Asian countries.
It appeared that Moscow and Beijing would like to present a united front at the summit to counterbalance the United States and its allies.
But signs of division have emerged over Russia’s invasion, which has upset the leaders of former Soviet territories in Central Asia, who worry that Russia could encroach on their land as well.
India and China are the biggest customers of Russian oil, and proposals in recent days that both have reservations about war are giving Moscow plenty to think about.
Earlier in the summit, after acknowledging China’s concerns, Putin had said: “We highly appreciate the balanced position of our Chinese friends when it comes to the Ukraine crisis.”
New Delhi, like Beijing, has strong ties with Moscow dating back to the Cold War and has so far largely avoided condemning the incursion by Russia, which remains India’s biggest arms supplier.
In a statement released after Friday’s meeting, India’s foreign ministry said discussions between the two leaders “also covered global food security, energy security and availability of fertilizers in the context of challenges arising from current geopolitics condition”.
“They agreed to stay in touch,” the ministry added.
The meeting comes as heavy shelling continues in areas of southern and eastern Ukraine taken over by Russian forces. Ukrainian officials said they had uncovered at least 440 graves in a mass burial site in the town of Izium in the newly liberated Kharkiv region.
