News Brief
Putin Thanks PM Modi, Other Global Leaders For Efforts To End Russia-Ukraine War, Raises Concerns Over US-Proposed Ceasefire Proposal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday (14 March) addressed United States' proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine for the first time.
Speaking at a press briefing, he began by expressing "words of gratitude" to US President Donald Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other global leaders for their attention to the Ukraine issue.
"First of all, I would like to start with words of gratitude to the president of the United States, Mr Trump, for paying so much attention to the Ukraine settlement. All of us have lots on our plates, but many state leaders, the Chairman of the People's Republic of China, the Prime Minister of India, president of Brazil and South African Republic. They devote a lot of time to this issue, and we are thankful to them because it's all for the noble cause of stopping hostilities and preventing human casualties," he said, NDTV reported.
During a meeting with Trump at the White House last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored India's stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, asserting that India is not "neutral" and is siding with peace.
"India is not neutral. India is siding with peace. I have already said to President Putin that this is not the era of war. I support the efforts taken by President Trump," Prime Minister Modi had said.
India has consistently emphasised that "this is not an era of war, but of dialogue and diplomacy."
Since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Prime Minister Modi has engaged in multiple discussions with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Meanwhile, US has urged Moscow to accept the ceasefire proposal unconditionally.
Reacting to Putin's remarks, Trump described them as "promising" but noted they were "not complete."
"He put out a very promising statement but it wasn't complete," Trump, who was meeting NATO chief Mark Rutte at the White House, told reporters when asked about Putin's remarks.
Ukraine accepted Washington's 30-day ceasefire proposal during talks in Saudi Arabia this week.
The decision came after a tense Oval Office meeting on 28 February between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties, displaced millions, and devastated entire towns.
The war has also escalated tensions between Moscow and the West to their highest levels in decades.
