‘Not the time for war’: PM Modi's advice to Putin, ‘brother’ Zelensky

Patch speech production on the Lex Fridman podcast, undercoat government minister Narendra Modi reiterated his dedication to diplomacy as the only viable path to resolving the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Speaking to the influential host and MIT research scientist Lex Fridman, Modi emphasized that military victories would not lead to a lasting resolution and called upon both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to engage in direct negotiations."I have a close relationship with Russia and Ukraine alike," PM Modi stated. "I can sit with President Putin and say that this is not the time for war. And I can also tell President Zelensky, in a friendly way, that regardless of how many people stand with you in the world, there will never be a resolution on the battlefield."PM Modi highlighted the necessity of direct dialogue between the warring nations, cautioning against relying solely on allied support. "Ukraine may hold countless discussions with their allies, but it will bear no fruit. Discussions must include both parties instead," he said, underscoring that negotiations remain the only viable route to peace.The Prime Minister also pointed out that the global community, particularly the Global South, has suffered due to the prolonged conflict. "There has been a lot of suffering. Even the Global South has suffered. The world has been grappling with a food, fuel, and fertilizer crisis. So, the global community should unite in the pursuit of peace."His remarks come amid ongoing global efforts to mediate an end to the conflict, which has led to devastating humanitarian and economic consequences.Devastating Russia-Ukraine conflictRussia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has left hundreds of thousands of people dead and injured, displaced millions, reduced towns to rubble and triggered the sharpest confrontation for decades between Moscow and the West.The US agreed on Tuesday to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv said it was ready to support Washington's proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.Putin said on Thursday Russia supported the truce proposal in principle, but that fighting could not be paused until a number of crucial conditions were worked out or clarified.Putin has repeatedly said that he is ready to talk about peace though Ukraine will have to declare it will not seek NATO membership and Russia will keep all of the land that it claims in Ukraine, including some it does not control.Russia has paid a heavy price for the invasion.US intelligence estimates say more than 100,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured, according to a 2023 assessment, while the economy has been heavily distorted by record defence spending and the toughest Western sanctions ever imposed.Ukraine has also seen more than 100,000 troops killed or injured, according to leaked US intelligence estimates. Its economy has been shattered. One-fifth of its territory is under Russian control, and Kyiv has been unable to defeat Russia's forces despite receiving more than $260 billion in Western aid.