As Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Russia, met President Vladimir Putin, the United States on Monday raised concerns with India over its relationship with Moscow amid its invasion of Ukraine.
US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that as India engages with Russia, Washington would urge it to make clear that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine needs to respect the UN Charter and Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Miller termed PM Modi's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy an important step as Kyiv reels under regular attacks from Moscow.
"So again, we did just see PM Modi, like PM Orban, meet with President Zelenskyy. We thought that was an important step to take. And we would urge India, as we do any country when it engages with Russia, to make clear that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine needs to be one that respects the UN Charter, that respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and Ukraine’s sovereignty. And India is a strategic partner with whom we engage in a full and frank dialogue, and that includes our concerns about the relationship with Russia," Matthew Miller said.
The US official also underscored that he will closely look at PM Modi's public remarks to see what he talked about during his Russia visit.
“I will look to Prime Minister Modi's public remarks to see what he talked about, but as I said, we have made quite clear directly with India our concerns about their relationship with Russia,” a State Department spokesperson said in a press briefing, Miller said, as quoted by Hindustan Times, citing news agency Reuters.
Meanwhile, PM Modi met Putin on Monday at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence of the President of Russia near Moscow. The two leaders held an informal meeting at the Russian President's residence.
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