Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that China, Brazil and India are among Russia’s friends and partners who he believes are sincerely interested in helping resolve the Ukrainian conflict and he is in continuous touch with their leaders.
Speaking at the plenary session of the 9th Eastern Economic Forum (9th EEF) in Vladivostok, Putin said:
“We respect our friends and partners who I believe are sincerely interested in discussing all the issues and resolving the conflict. First and foremost, this includes the Peoples Republic of China, Brazil and India.
“I am in continuous contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries share a strong sense of trust and confidence. Our mutual trust will be crucial in offering a helping hand,” Putin said, according to a video posted by Sputnik.
His comments come almost a month after PM Modi’s visit to Moscow for the India-Russia bilateral summit during which he said that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward to resolve the conflict and that India is willing to contribute in every way for peace in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Russia appreciates Indian PM Modi’s endeavour to contribute to a peace settlement on Ukraine.
To another question on a peace deal on Ukraine, Putin said that Russia has never refused to negotiate with Ukraine, but the West sabotaged a potential peace deal in early 2022.
“We had already coordinated all the parameters of peaceful cooperation with the representative of Kiev… It was necessary to iron out some subtleties […] but then Mr Boris Johnson of the UK came and instructed Ukraine to fight until the death of the very last Ukrainian. That’s what’s happening now, trying to achieve strategic loss of Russia. But that’s not happening,” he said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
