Putin thanks PM Modi, Trump for efforts to stop Russia-Ukraine war

President of Russia Vladimir Putin addressed the Russia-Ukraine war for the first time publicly on Thursday (March 13) at a joint press conference with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

Putin thanked US President Donald Trump for paying a lot of attention to the Ukrainian settlement. He also thanked other world leaders like PM Narendra Modi, China’s President Xi Jinping, and Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, for their efforts in ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We are grateful to all of them for that because this activity is aimed at achieving a noble mission - the mission of ending hostilities and loss of life,” he added.

Also read: Russia gives US a list of demands before talks with Ukraine

Conditions for ceasefire

Putin said he agrees to the "idea of a ceasefire" in Ukraine, but that questions remain about the nature of the truce proposed by the US. He said he will proceed from the fact that the ceasefire will lead to "enduring peace" and remove the "root causes" of the crisis.

This comes a day after Trump said that the decision was "up to Russia now", as the US administration urged Moscow to agree to the ceasefire. This followed peace talks between Washington and Kyiv officials in Saudi Arabia on March 11, where Ukraine agreed to the US proposal for an “immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire”, supported by the US, covering the entire frontline. This ceasefire was to be extendable by mutual consent once Russia accepted it and took appropriate action.

Also read: Russian forces used gas pipeline to ambush Ukrainian troops in Kursk

Putin suggested that Ukraine’s readiness for a ceasefire was influenced by the pressure of the US.

He said, "Now, on Ukraine's readiness to cease the hostilities. You know, on the face of it, the US-Ukraine meeting in Saudi Arabia may look like the Ukrainian side made this decision under pressure from the United States. In fact, I am absolutely convinced that the Ukrainian side should have asked the Americans for this decision most emphatically, in view of the situation evolving on the ground, as has just been mentioned here."

After Putin’s comments setting terms and conditions for the ceasefire proposal, Trump said he hoped Russia would take the "right" decision.

India’s stand for peace

Putin has mentioned India’s sincere efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war, and that he stays in regular contact with India and two more countries.

Last July, PM Modi visited Russia for the 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit, and travelled to Ukraine after that in August. PM Modi stressed India’s belief in a peaceful resolution to the conflict in his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Also read: Ukraine open to 30-day ceasefire; US resumes military aid, intel sharing

Last month, Modi also praised Trump’s efforts in helping to resolve the conflict, reiterating India’s peaceful stance focussed on negotiations.

In a joint presser at the White House, he said, “I have always been in close contact with Russia and Ukraine. I have met the leaders of both countries. Many people are in the misconception that India is neutral, but I want to reiterate that India is not neutral; we are on a side, and that side is peace.”

“I have said that ‘this is not a time of war’ in front of the media when President Putin was with me. Even today, my conviction is that the solutions to war cannot be found on the battlefield, and ultimately, we have to be at the table,” he added.