Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with US President Donald Trump, for their efforts to put an end to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Putin started with “words of gratitude” towards US President Donald Trump “for paying so much attention to the Ukraine settlement.”
He added that while every country has its own domestic matters that they need to attend to. Several world leaders, including the Prime Minister of India, President of China, and the Presidents of Brazil and South Africa, are dedicating significant time and attention to the issue. He made this statement during a joint press conference with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.
“We are grateful to all of them for that because this activity is aimed at achieving a noble mission – the mission of ending hostilities and loss of life,” Putin added.
In his first public statement about Ukraine’s willingness to talk about a ceasefire, Putin said he agrees with the idea of a ceasefire but believes it should lead to lasting peace and address the main causes of the crisis.
This comes a day after Trump said, “it’s up to Russia now,” as his administration urged Moscow to agree to a ceasefire. This was following the peace talks between US and Ukrainian officials, where Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire supported by the US, covering the entire frontline.
Earlier, Putin mentioned that he stays in regular contact with India, along with two other countries, regarding the Ukraine conflict. He had also acknowledged their sincere efforts to help resolve the issue.
In July last year, PM Modi had visited Russia for the India-Russia Bilateral Summit, and had later traveled to Ukraine in August. During his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, PM Modi had stressed on India’s belief in resolving the conflict peacefully through talks and diplomacy.
PM Modi had also praised Trump’s efforts to help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict while reiterating India’s stance that the issue should be settled through negotiations.