After Zelenskyy critices Modi for hugging Putin, US tells India to support peace in Ukraine

Washington/Moscow/New Delhi: After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for hugging “the world’s most bloody criminal”, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his recent trip to Moscow, the United States urged India to “support efforts to realize an enduring and just peace” in Ukraine based on the principles of the UN Charter, based on upholding Ukraine’s territorial integrity and its sovereignty. 

“…we have been quite clear about our concerns about India’s relationship with Russia. We have expressed those privately, directly to the Indian Government and continue to do so, and that hasn’t changed,” US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told journalists in Washington.

He further informed that the United States had also had conversations with India ever since the news broke out, particularly about the latter’s continued agreements with Russia on energy and oil, which many US policymakers consider to be a key factor in fueling Russia’s war in Ukraine. However, he refused to divulge more information on the nature of such conversations with India, saying, “I think I’ll keep the contents of those private”.

The US categorically states that it believes that Ukraine’s future is in NATO and that sooner than later it will become a NATO member.

What holds significance is Modi’s statement in Moscow that when the world was facing fuel and energy crises, the India-Russia cooperation helped prevent problems for the Indian people. “We supplied them with petrol, diesel fuel and the like. Therefore, the world should admit that stability on the global market was maintained thanks to Indian-Russian cooperation,” Modi said. He added that while people faced problems with fuel, including diesel fuel, in many countries, India and Russia managed to supply their people with fuel because of the agreements in this sphere. “We not only guaranteed these supplies but also controlled inflation and ensured stability,” he said.

Although the US claims it welcomes “actual diplomacy” with Russia to make it clear to Russia that they need to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty, and that they need to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Washington underscores the difference between engaging with Ukraine and Russia, “because one side is the aggressor and one side’s the victim”.

On the question of whether Modi made that clear to Putin, Miller remarked, “I will look to Prime Minister Modi’s public remarks to see what he talked about…we made quite clear directly with India our concerns about their relationship with Russia. And so we would hope India and any other country, when they engage with Russia, would make clear that Russia should respect the UN Charter, should respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. He added, ” And India is a strategic partner with whom we engage in a full and frank dialogue, and that includes on our concerns about the relationship with Russia”.

Also read: Vladimir Putin honours Narendra Modi with Russia’s highest state award

Importantly, the Indian Prime Minister did tell Putin during an informal meeting on July 8, 2024 – the day when a missile hit a children’s hospital in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, that “any person who believes in humanity is pained to see people, especially innocent children, die”. With Putin sitting next to him, he said, “As a friend, I always tell you that peace is indispensable if we want future generations to have a bright future. That is why we believe that war is not a solution. There may be no solution through war. Bombs, missiles and rifles cannot bring peace. This is why we emphasise dialogue, and dialogue is necessary”.

The Indian Prime Minister also mentioned that both he and Putin agreed that “peace must be restored as soon as possible,  and we are ready to assist in any way”.

Modi went on to tell the Russian President, “I heard your position, your positive views and considerations, and I can assure you that India has always been on the side of peace. As I listened to you, I felt optimistic and hopeful about the future. I would like to thank you for that”.

Modi was in Moscow for a two-day state visit on July 8-9, 2024, the first by the Indian Prime Minister since Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Meanwhile, a Union Minister in Modi’s cabinet, Piyush Goyal, claimed Modi receiving the highest Russian civilian award demonstrated India’s ability to navigate international relations with dexterity. At the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s national executive committee meeting in New Delhi today, Goyal also asked the industry to work with the government to take India-Russia bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.