During a visit to Moscow, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to pursue peace in Ukraine, emphasizing that the deaths of children are particularly painful and that a resolution cannot be achieved through warfare.
The two leaders held their first summit since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, reaffirming their commitment to deepen ties. Modi’s call for peace followed a missile strike on Kyiv’s main children’s hospital, which Ukraine blamed on Russia, though Moscow denied responsibility. The strikes killed at least 31 people in several Ukrainian cities.
Modi, speaking at the Kremlin, expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives, especially those of innocent children, and stressed the need for peace. He asserted that India is ready to cooperate in all ways to restore peace, stating, “Amid bombs, guns, and bullets, solutions and peace talks do not succeed. We will have to follow the path to peace only through talks.”
This visit marked Modi’s first trip to Moscow in five years. The annual summits between India and Russia, held since 2000, had not occurred since 2021. Images showed Modi and Putin displaying a strong rapport, hugging, riding a golf cart at Putin’s residence, and engaging in lengthy private discussions before formal talks. Putin referred to Modi as his “dear friend.”
The visit underscored India’s role in advocating for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict and highlighted the enduring relationship between India and Russia.
