Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been told by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to halt his war in Ukraine for the sake of humanity during a meeting in Kyrgyzstan.
The two world leaders met on the sidelines of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, which seeks to be a counterbalance to the West.
The regional SCO bloc – which brings together Russia, China, Iran, India, Pakistan, four central Asian countries and Belarus – is celebrating its 25-year anniversary.
‘We need to move from an endless war to the end of the war,’ Modi laid into the Russian president, who was awkwardly looking down and away from the leader’s gaze, during the broadcast on Monday.
A stern-faced Putin then slapped down his earpiece – used to hear the translation – and said through gritted teeth: ‘Thank you very much, Mr Prime Minister. We are moving in that direction.’
On the ground in Ukraine, there is little sign Putin is edging towards peace. The Russian leader appears to be stepping up the war, launching repeated strikes across the country, including attacks on food warehouses which are now being blamed for shortages.
