Moscow:

Russian President Vladimir Putin has received an invitation to visit India from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the dates for his visit will be set in early 2025, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said.

While addressing a briefing, Ushakov stated that Putin and PM Modi have an agreement to hold meetings once a year and it is Russia’s turn this time, according to Russian Embassy in India.

The diplomat stated, “Our leaders have an agreement to hold meetings once a year. This time, it’s our turn.” He further said, “We received Mr. Modi’s invitation and we will certainly consider it positively.”

Yury Ushakov noted, “We will figure out the tentative dates early next year.”

This will be Putin’s first visit to India since the beginning of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in 2022. India has always advocated “peace and diplomacy” for resolving conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

Putin and PM Modi remain in regular contact, holding talks over phone-call once every couple of months, according to Russian Embassy in India. The two leaders also hold in-person meetings. This year, the two leaders met twice as PM Modi in July travelled to Moscow to participate in the 22nd Russia-India summit.

PM Modi’s official visit to Russia in July marked his first bilateral visit after resuming office for the third time. PM Modi was also conferred with Russia’s highest national award “The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle” for his contribution to fostering India-Russia ties.

From a warm hug to driving an electric car for ‘dost’ PM Modi, the chemistry between the leaders hogged the limelight. During his visit to Russia, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting and an informal meeting with Putin. The two leaders also visited the Rosatom Pavilion at the VDNKh Exhibition Centre in Moscow.

In October, PM Modi visited Russia’s Kazan for a two-day visit to attend the BRICS Summit. He thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin, the people of Russia and their government for their hospitality. PM Modi took to X to share glimpses of his visit to Russia.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia September 5, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday (September 5, 2024) named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch over the Ukraine conflict and said they are sincerely making efforts to resolve it, state-owned TASS news agency reported.

Reporting on his remarks at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, US media outlet Politico reported him as also saying, “If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that.” Mr. Putin’s remarks came within two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Ukraine where he held talks with President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“We respect our friends and partners, who, I believe, sincerely seek to resolve all issues surrounding this conflict, primarily China, Brazil and India. I constantly keep in touch with our colleagues on this issue,” Mr. Putin was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency.

Separately, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Izvestia daily that India could help in establishing a dialogue on Ukraine.

Underlining the existing “highly constructive, even friendly relations” between Mr. Modi and Mr. Putin, he said the Indian Prime Minister can “lead the line on getting first-hand information from the participants in this conflict,” as he “freely communicates with Putin, with Zelenskyy, and with the Americans.”

“This gives a great opportunity for India to throw its weight in world affairs, to use its influence that would drive the Americans and Ukrainians towards using a greater political will and entering the peaceful settlement track,” Mr. Peskov said.

He, however, said there are “no specific plans” on Mr. Modi mediating on the issue.

“At this time they can hardly exist, as we do not see any preconditions for talks for now,” the Kremlin spokesman said.

Mr. Modi on August 23 visited Ukraine where he conveyed to President Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war and that India was ready to play an “active role” to restore peace in the region.

His nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister since its independence in 1991, came six weeks after he held summit talks with President Putin that triggered anguish in some Western countries.

In his talks with Mr. Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Mr. Modi said India was on the side of peace since the beginning of the conflict and he would even like to contribute personally for a peaceful resolution of the crisis.