US calls India 'key partner', urges support for lasting peace in Ukraine

Stating that America partners with India in a number of key areas, the US has urged New Delhi to support efforts to "realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine."

Asked about India-US ties in light of PM Modi's recent visit to Russia, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Thursday (local time), "Broadly, India continues to be a country in which we partner with in a number of key areas and that was clearly on display last summer when we hosted Prime Minister Modi for a State visit."

"But, beyond that, in the context of Ukraine and Russia's ongoing aggression and infringement on Ukraine's territorial sovereignty, we continue to ask all partners, including India, to support efforts to realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine, and we urge Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine's sovereign territory," he added.

 

PM Modi was on an official visit to Russia from July 8-9 and met Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed disappointment over PM Modi's visit to Russia, which he termed a "devastating blow to peace efforts."

During his bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, PM Modi raised the issue of killings of children during conflicts and said it is "heart-wrenching" when innocent children die.

The Prime Minister said that everyone who believes in humanity is hurt when there is a loss of lives. Notably, 37 children were killed in a recent missile strike at a children's hospital in Kyiv.

"Be it war, conflicts, terror attacks - everyone who believes in humanity is pained when there is loss of lives. But when innocent children are murdered, when we see innocent children dying, it is heart-wrenching. That pain is immense. I also held a detailed discussion with you over this," PM Modi said during the meeting.

PM Modi said that there is no solution on the battlefield and added that peace talks do not succeed amid bombs, guns, and bullets.

It was PM Modi's first visit to Russia since the war started between Moscow and Kyiv in 2022. India has always advocated "peace and diplomacy" for resolving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.