The White House asserted Bharat’s strong ties with Russia can influence President Vladimir Putin to halt the ongoing war with Ukraine. These comments came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high-profile visit to Moscow, highlighting his close relationship with Putin.
During his visit, PM Modi reaffirmed Bharat’s commitment to peace and readiness to fully cooperate in resolving the prolonged and deadly conflict. In televised remarks, he assured the global community of Bharat’s steadfast support for peace and its willingness to contribute to resolving the Ukraine crisis.
“For the bright future of the new generations, peace is imperative. Peace negotiations cannot succeed amidst bombs, guns, and bullets,” asserted Modi. Meanwhile, Putin expressed gratitude to the Indian Premiere for his efforts towards finding a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis.
“I appreciate your attention to pressing issues, particularly in seeking ways to resolve the Ukraine crisis through peaceful means,” remarked the Russian President during their Kremlin meeting.
While Bharat has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it has consistently advocated for dialogue and diplomatic resolution of the conflict.
Addressing a question on Ukraine, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stated, “Bharat is a strategic partner with whom we engage in candid dialogue, including regarding their relationship with Russia. We’ve discussed this before. Therefore, it’s crucial that all countries, including Bharat, support efforts to achieve lasting and fair peace in Ukraine.”
“We also believe Bharat’s longstanding relationship with Russia gives it the ability to urge President Putin to end his brutal, unprovoked war in Ukraine. It is President Putin, who must end it. He started this war, and he can end it,” Jean-Pierre asserted.
As Modi concluded his historic trip to Moscow, the Biden administration reiterated its concerns regarding Bharat’s ties with Russia.
“We have been clear about our concerns regarding Bharat’s relationship with Russia. We have conveyed these concerns directly to the Indian Government, and we continue to do so. That hasn’t changed,” stated US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller in a daily news conference following PM Modi’s departure from Russia.
“We urge Bharat to support efforts towards achieving a lasting and fair peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the UN Charter, including upholding Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. This will remain the focus of our engagement with Bharat,” Miller affirmed.
Separately, the Pentagon affirmed that the United States views Bharat as a strategic partner and engages in robust dialogue with the country. “Bharat and Russia have maintained a longstanding relationship. From the US perspective, Bharat is a strategic partner with whom we engage in candid dialogue, including regarding their relationship with Russia. With the NATO summit this week, the world’s attention is naturally focused on that,” remarked Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder during a press conference.
“However, it’s unsurprising if President Putin tries to portray this visit as a way to show that he isn’t isolated from the world. The reality is that President Putin’s war of choice has isolated Russia globally and come at great cost,” Ryder responded to questions on PM Modi’s visit to Russia.
“Their aggressive war has incurred significant costs, and the facts speak for themselves. We will continue to view Bharat as a strategic partner and maintain robust dialogue,” Ryder affirmed.
“He isn’t appearing isolated with the leader of the world’s largest democracy currently in Moscow, embracing him,” noted a journalist. “I would also note that the Prime Minister recently met with the President of Ukraine and assured him that Bharat will continue to do everything possible to support a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict,” Ryder added.
“We trust that Bharat will support efforts towards achieving a lasting and fair peace for Ukraine and convey to Putin the importance of adhering to the UN Charter and principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he concluded.
