Modi implores tense Putin to end Ukraine war - politico.eu

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31, 2026, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine "for the sake of humanity."
Modi called Putin "my friend" and praised economic ties before pivoting to the war, invoking Gandhi and Mother Theresa and calling for a cessation of hostilities, while Putin appeared uncomfortable, looking at the floor and tapping his feet.
Putin responded briefly, saying, "We are moving forward along this path," though Russia continues to insist that any end to the war must be on its own terms, a stance Kyiv rejects.
The exchange came amid intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine, rumors of a fresh mobilization of hundreds of thousands of troops, and expanded Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and warehouses belonging to retailers Wildberries and Ozon.
Despite the public appeal, Modi did not suggest using trade as leverage; India remains a major buyer of Russian oil and has recently supplied gasoline to Moscow following Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries.
India's Russian oil purchases have strained relations with the United States, where President Donald Trump scrapped a trade deal over the issue in 2025, while EU diplomat Kaja Kallas called such purchases and joint military exercises obstacles to closer EU-India cooperation.