Putin Says Modi Has ‘Very Good Ideas’ To End Ukraine War

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "very good ideas" on a mutual settlement of the Ukraine conflict and raises the issue at "every meeting", Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Putin made the remarks on Thursday at the annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club, according to state-run TASS news agency.

A Diplomatic Message From Valdai

“As for Prime Minister Modi’s position on ending wars, I can say that he is one of those world leaders who, despite our very good, even friendly relations, including at the personal level, constantly raises the issue and asks questions about ending the conflict in Ukraine," Putin said.

The Russian leader said Modi "brings up these matters at every meeting we have and takes a keen interest in them".

"He has very good ideas aimed at finding mutually acceptable solutions," Putin added.

Ahead of the BRICS summit in New Delhi last month, Putin and Modi held talks, during which the Russian leader briefed Modi on the overall situation regarding the Ukraine war, which began in February 2022, and ongoing peace initiatives.

A few days before that, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia would welcome any peace efforts by India to end the Ukraine conflict, noting that Moscow's strategy aligns closely with New Delhi's position for a resolution through dialogue and diplomacy.

Between Moscow And Kyiv

Putin, at the forum on Wednesday, also expressed appreciation for India's cultural diversity and unity.

“India cannot fail to amaze with its scale and diversity," he said.

"Few people know this, but Mr. [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi told me that of the 1.5 billion people, 600 million Indians speak their native language, Hindi, while most speak their own languages, and they all live together — amazing," he said.

Asserting that this cannot fail to inspire admiration, he said, "There is something unique about Indian culture that can certainly serve as an example of how diversity and unity can coexist. It is certainly something to learn from.”

Modi held talks with Putin on August 31, focusing on key aspects of bilateral ties, including cooperation in trade and investment, energy and defence. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Putin's comments on Modi came against a broader warning at Valdai about a world becoming more prone to conflict. He said fundamental changes in the international order were creating new opportunities that could fuel ambition and encourage countries to take greater risks in pursuit of potentially significant gains. While he predicted that international conflicts were likely to continue, he also said catastrophic scenarios had to be avoided.