Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan next month. Putin put forward this proposal during his meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in St. Petersburg on Thursday.
The Putin-Doval meeting occurred almost three weeks after Modi's visit to Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, and his discussions with President Volodymyr Zelensky. The BRICS summit is scheduled to be held in Kazan from October 22-24. Prime Minister Modi is expected to participate in this summit.
I'm Here to Convey PM's Message - Doval
During the face-to-face conversation with Putin, Doval conveyed, 'As Prime Minister Modi had spoken with you over the phone, he was eager to share details about his Ukraine visit and the discussions with President Zelensky. He wanted me to personally and specifically visit Russia to meet you and inform you about that conversation. The discussions were very close-knit, featuring only two leaders and their aides. I was with the PM, witnessing the entire conversation.'
Read also: NSA Ajit Doval met Putin, Russian President invited PM Modi for BRICS Summit
In a statement released by Russia regarding the Putin-Doval meeting, it was mentioned that the Russian President proposed a bilateral meeting with Modi at the BRICS summit on October 22 to summarize 'joint action results' from agreements reached during the Indian leader's Moscow visit and outline future prospects.
Putin's Statement
During the meeting, Putin remarked, 'I clearly remember, as I mentioned in our common meeting earlier, PM Modi's visit to Moscow was not only highly successful but also yielded very meaningful actions that are proceeding at the agreed pace. Our special, privileged strategic partnership is advancing brilliantly and robustly, which we are pleased about.'
Russian Media Statement
Russian media cited Putin's statements during the meeting with Doval, saying, 'We are eagerly awaiting our good friend Modi and send him our best wishes.’ On Wednesday, NSA had extensive discussions with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on critical 'mutual interests' issues.
In his talks with Zelensky, Modi had emphasized that both Ukraine and Russia should waste no time in sitting together to end the war, and India is ready to play an 'active role' to restore peace in the region.
Read also: From Nehru's Non-Aligned Movement to Modi's Peace Mission... How India's Role Changed Globally?
Modi's nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine marked the first visit by any Indian Prime Minister since the country's independence in 1991. This visit occurred six weeks after his summit talks with Putin in Moscow.
