Urged Putin to hold direct talks with Zelenskyy, says PM Modi in virtual meeting with President Biden

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden in the backdrop of the 2+2 ministerial dialogue between India and US. Speaking during the meeting, PM Modi hailed the growing ties between the “world’s oldest and largest democracies” and called India and US “natural partners”. PM Modi also spoke extensively about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and condemned the recent killings in Bucha. Talking to Biden, PM Modi said he has spoken with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the conflict. He said that he also urged President Putin to hold direct talks with Zelenskyy to resolve the conflict. “I spoke with Presidents of Ukraine & Russia over phone several times … appealed to them for peace & suggested Pres Putin for direct talks with Ukrainian President,” he said. Calling the killing of innocent citizens in Bucha “very concerning”, PM Modi said that India has demanded an “impartial probe” into the incident. The Prime Minister hoped that a peaceful solution emerges from the ongoing talks between the two nations. In his opening remarks, PM Modi said that the situation in Ukraine is a matter of concerns and recalled how India had to evacuate nearly 20,000 students from the war-hit nations last month. “We have sent medicines and other relief material to Ukraine and other neighbouring nations. On the demand of Ukraine, we are sending another consignment of medicines soon,” PM Modi said during his interaction. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden said that US and India will “continue our close consultation” on how to manage the “destabilising effects” of the Russian war in Ukraine. “I want to welcome India’s humanitarian support for the people in Ukraine who are suffering a horrific assault, including a tragic shelling in a train station last week that killed dozens of innocent children and women and civilians attempting to flee the violence,” Biden said. The United States and India will “continue our close consultation on how to manage the destabilising effects of this Russian war,” Biden added. The virtual meeting comes in the midst of some disquiet in Washington over India’s position on the Ukraine crisis as well as its decision to procure discounted Russian oil.