Key facts
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
- Modi stated that India supports and will continue to support all peace efforts.
- Modi emphasized that the ongoing war sets humanity back, while steps toward peace offer hope.
- Putin briefed Modi on the progress of Russia's military operation in Ukraine.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the war in Ukraine must end for the sake of humanity and that India would support all peace efforts. The leaders met in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
Modi, who referred to Putin as 'my friend,' also highlighted the growing economic ties between India and Russia, emphasizing that the interests of both nations are paramount. India has become a significant buyer of Russian oil since the conflict began, helping Moscow offset Western sanctions.
According to a Kremlin transcript, Modi stated, 'Every day that the war continues, humanity is, in effect, set back a step, whilst every step towards peace gives all of humanity real hope for peace. We need to move from endless war to an end to the war, to a cessation of hostilities.'
The Kremlin reported that Putin briefed Modi on the progression of what Russia terms its 'special military operation' in Ukraine. Russia has previously indicated readiness to end the conflict only on its own terms, demands that Ukraine has rejected as unacceptable.