US says Putin ‘trying’ to pretend he is not ‘isolated’ from the world with Modi visit

Washington hopes India will support efforts to achieve a “just and lasting” peace in Ukraine

10 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The US government has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “trying” to appear not to be “isolated” from the world by hosting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bilateral meeting while the NATO Summit, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, is taking place in Washington.

US Department of Defense spokesman Patrick Ryder said the world was focused on the NATO summit, but that “no one would be surprised” if Putin “tries to portray this visit in a way that seeks to demonstrate in some way that he is not isolated from the rest of the world.”

“The fact is that Putin’s war of choice has isolated Russia from the rest of the world, and it has cost him dearly. His war of aggression has come at a great cost and the facts bear this out,” he said during a press conference.

Ryder recalled that Russia and India have a long-standing relationship, but the latter is a strategic partner for the United States, with which they maintain a “full and frank dialogue that includes their relationship” with the Russian authorities. “We trust that India will support efforts to achieve a fair and lasting peace for Ukraine,” he said.

In this regard, he indicated that the leader of the largest democracy in the world met with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, before arriving in Moscow, to whom he “offered guarantees” to do “everything in his power to support a peaceful solution to the war.”

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre added that she believes that “India’s long-standing relationship with Russia gives it the ability to urge Putin to end his brutal war, an unprovoked war in Ukraine.” “It is up to Putin to end the war. Putin started the war, and Putin can end the war,” she concluded.

During the meeting between the Russian president and the Indian head of government, both stressed the importance of “urgently achieving an end to the conflict with a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, with the inclusion of both parties.” Modi told Putin that his country is “ready” to provide “any kind of assistance to contribute to peace in Ukraine.”