Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to him and “exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict” and “insights from the visit to Ukraine”, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that China, India and Brazil could act as mediators in potential peace talks.
Russian state-owned TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying, “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.”
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Putin said a preliminary agreement reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul in the first weeks of the war, and which was never implemented, could serve as the basis for talks, the Reuters news agency reported.
Putin’s framing of the remarks that BRICS leaders can play a role comes a month before Russia is scheduled to host the BRICS leaders’ summit in Kazan from October 22-24. Prime Minister Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are expected to attend the summit.
Putin also made it clear that Turkey-mediated talks can be the basis for talks, and not the Swiss-led peace summit which was not attended by Russia. India refused to sign the joint communique at the Swiss summit, citing Moscow’s absence at the table.
Reporting on his remarks at the plenary session of the EEF, US media outlet Politico quoted Putin saying, “If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that.”
His remarks came within two weeks of Modi’s visit to Kyiv where he held talks with Ukraine President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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 Modi and Putin, he said the 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,” Peskov said.
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He, however, said there are “no specific plans” on 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.
On August 23, Modi 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 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 on July 8-9.
In his talks with Zelenskyy, 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.
On August 26, he spoke to US President Joe Biden and briefed him on his Ukraine visit and on August 27, he spoke to Putin.
The Kremlin said Putin gave a “fundamental assessment of the destructive line of the Kyiv authorities and their Western patrons, outlining key Russian approaches to ways to resolve the conflict”.
After the phone call, Modi, in a post on X, said he spoke with Putin: “Discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine. Reiterated India’s firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict.”