Calling for a peace settlement and invoking Gandhi and Mother Theresa, Modi said India supports all peace efforts, and this is the direction that must be pursued.
“Thank you very much, prime minister. We are moving forward along this path,” Putin responded.
Russia insists that ending the war in Ukraine can only be done on its own terms, something Kyiv has continually rejected. Meanwhile, attacks on Ukraine have intensified in recent days, along with rumors that Moscow is set to mobilize hundreds of thousands of fresh troops and step up ground offensives.
Ukraine has also scaled up its drone strikes, attacking energy infrastructure within Russia, as well as the warehouses of online retailers Wildberries and Ozon.
While Modi’s call is one of the most direct, particularly to the face of the Russian president, India continues to be a significant trading partner of Russia.
India is one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil and has also recently stepped up to provide gasoline to Moscow following Ukraine’s attacks on its refineries.