Bessent reportedly tells Russia no economic relief until Ukraine war ends as Europe snubs Moscow at G20

MOSCOW - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday that the war in Ukraine must come to an end for the sake of humanity, and that New Delhi would stand in support of any peace initiatives to halt the conflict. During the opening discussions with Putin in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, Modi referred to the Russian leader as "my friend" and praised the expanding economic relations between their nations, emphasizing that these ties were primarily driven by the need to prioritize the interests of both countries above all else.

India, together with China, represents one of the largest consumers of Russian oil, providing Moscow with vital funds after it deployed thousands of soldiers into Ukraine in 2022 and faced severe sanctions from Western nations. Modi, speaking at the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, noted in a Kremlin transcript that India supports every peace effort in this matter and will continue to do so in the future.

"Every day that the war persists, humanity is effectively regressing one step, while every step towards peace offers genuine hope for peace to all humanity. We must transition from an endless war to an end to the war, to a cessation of hostilities," Modi stated, echoing his previous calls for a peace settlement in Ukraine.

Putin, in response, thanked Modi and affirmed their progress along the path to peace, according to state media. The Kremlin, which has consistently maintained that Russia is prepared to end the war only on its own terms, which Ukraine has labeled as an unacceptable demand to surrender, reported after the talks that Putin had briefed Modi on the current status of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, as per the state TASS news agency.