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Putin to visit India for first time since Ukraine war

Nov 20, 2024 05:00 AM IST

India and Russia plan President Putin's visit, likely in 2025, amid ongoing Ukraine conflict and Modi's mediation efforts, says Kremlin.

New Delhi India and Russia are preparing for a visit by President Vladimir Putin though the dates are yet to be finalised, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian president Vladimir Putin (AP)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian president Vladimir Putin (AP)

As Kyiv marked 1,000 days since the start of the Russian invasion, Peskov said Moscow appreciates efforts by all countries to solve the crisis in Ukraine, especially those of a “great friend” such as India.

“I hope soon we’ll work out the precise dates of [Ptunin’s] visit,” Peskov said when he was asked about the possibility of the Russian leader visiting India at a virtual media briefing organised by Sputnik News Agency.

“After two visits of Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi to Russia, now we have a visit of President Putin to India. We are looking forward to it. We’ll start very precise preparations for the visit. We attach very great importance to these contacts,” he said, adding he had no further details to share.

People familiar with the matter on the Russian side said on condition of anonymity that the visit is expected only in 2025. Putin last travelled to India in December 2021 for an annual summit and the proposed visit will be the first since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Responding to a question on possible Indian mediation to end the Russia-Ukraine war, Peskov said the Russian side has no specific or concrete plan in this regard. “But we know that Mr Modi has got a very special [and] very pragmatic relationship with our President Putin, and that he maintains contact with the Ukrainian side,” he said.

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“At least, he is able to receive information from first-hand, it’s very important [as] it gives Prime Minister Modi the possibility to evaluate the situation objectively.”

Peskov added: “We do appreciate efforts by every country to help with the crisis around Ukraine, especially when those efforts come from great friends like India. Mr Putin is very thankful to Mr Modi for his efforts and Russia is open for any initiative that will contribute to settle the issue.”

Amid global efforts to end the fighting in Ukraine, Modi met Putin in Russia in July and October and travelled to Kyiv in August to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He has also held talks with Zelensky on the margins of multilateral events in Italy in June and in New York in September.

Modi has told Putin that a solution cannot be found on the battlefield and talks cannot succeed under the shadow of the gun, while he made it clear to Zelensky that a solution cannot be found without engaging Russia.

However, Peskov said a decree issued by Zelensky, which forbids any Ukrainian president from negotiating with Russia, has ruled out the possibility of peace talks. “I don’t think it’s possible to answer the question when [the war] can come to an end. But the only thing I can tell you [is] it will come to an end as soon as we reach our goals,” he said.

Peskov said it was not clear what approach the incoming Donald Trump administration in the US will take towards the war in Ukraine. “Currently it’s quite unpredictable. But we know for sure that physically there is no possibility for solving this conflict overnight. So, he [Trump] will not be able to do that, but he was speaking about peace, not war, during his campaign.”

When Peskov was asked about Russia’s views on India’s membership of both Quad and Brics, he replied: “We have no doubt that India respects Russia and India values cooperation with Russia. But at the same time, we also understand very well that India is a sovereign country.

“India is searching for benefits in every possible direction, and we understand that. We understand that Russia is not the only partner of India and at the same time, India is not the only partner for Russia.”

He contended that India is facing “unprecedented [and] unpardonable pressure” from the US for its relations with Russia. “The US is trying to dictate to Indian banks what to do and what not to do...But I have no doubt that jointly we will get rid of that unpardonable pressure.”

Peskov said Russia had no role in organising a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the margins of the Brics Summit in Kazan, but added that Moscow is ready to help in normalising relations between the two countries.

“We are glad that...the leader of India and the leader of China had the possibility to use the soil of Kazan city of Russia to have their bilateral meeting...But again, it was a bilateral initiative of India and China, without any interference from us,” he said.

“Of course, being friends of New Delhi and of Beijing, we are ready to contribute in every possible way...to the normalisation of relations between our two friends.”

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