Biden praises Modi’s Ukraine peace efforts as Indian PM continues diplomatic balancing act

US President Joe Biden spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone and commended him for his “message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support” for Ukraine.

The prime minister’s visit to Kyiv on August 23 was seen in many quarters as a diplomatic balancing act as his trip to Russia last month triggered criticism from the Biden administration and anguish in some Western capitals.

During the visit, Modi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine and Russia should sit together to end the war and that India was ready to play an “active role” in restoring peace.

In a post non ‘X’, Biden said, “I spoke with Prime Minister Modi to discuss his recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, and commended him for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine.” “We also affirmed our commitment to working together to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” said the US president.

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This was the first call between the two leaders after Modi’s trip to Russia, Poland and Ukraine and the recent developments in Bangladesh.

The White House, in a readout of the call, said the two leaders discussed Modi’s recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September.

“The President commended the prime minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector,” it said.

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Biden and Modi affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, based on the UN Charter.

“The leaders also emphasized their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” the White House said.

The White House readout of the call had no reference to Bangladesh, which was mentioned in an ‘X’ post by PM Modi.

Earlier, in a post on the micro-blogging site, PM Modi said that during the call with Biden, they had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. “I reiterated India’s full support for early return of peace and stability,” the prime minister said.

Moreover, Modi said that he and Biden also discussed the ongoing situation in Bangladesh and stressed the need for the early restoration of normalcy and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus.

Following the unfolding political developments in Bangladesh, India has been consistently pressing to ensure the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in that country. PTI LKJ NSD NSD