Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed readiness for peace talks with Ukraine, suggesting that India, China, and Brazil could serve as potential mediators, according to a report by Reuters. Putin referenced a preliminary agreement reached during negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in the early weeks of the conflict, held in Istanbul, which, despite not being implemented, could provide a foundation for future discussions.

Vladimir Putin's statement follows months after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow, and more recently, his historic visit to Ukraine—the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades. These diplomatic engagements highlight India's growing role in mediating the conflict and underline Modi's efforts to encourage dialogue between the two nations.

"We respect our friends and partners, who, I believe, sincerely seek to resolve all issues surrounding this conflict, primarily China, Brazil and India. I constantly keep in touch with our colleagues on this issue,” Putin was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency.

In a separate development, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in an interview with Izvestia daily, emphasised India's potential role in facilitating dialogue on Ukraine. Highlighting the "highly constructive, even friendly relations" between Prime Minister Modi and President Putin, Peskov noted that Modi is well-positioned to gather first-hand information from all parties involved in the conflict. He remarked that Modi "freely communicates with Putin, Zelenskyy, and the Americans," underscoring India's diplomatic leverage in fostering dialogue.

"This gives a great opportunity for India to throw its weight in world affairs, to use its influence that would drive the Americans and Ukrainians towards using a greater political will and entering the peaceful settlement track,” Peskov said.

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified that there are "no specific plans" for Prime Minister Modi to mediate the conflict at this stage. "At this time, they can hardly exist, as we do not see any preconditions for talks for now," Peskov remarked. During Modi's visit to Ukraine on August 23, he urged President Zelensky that both Ukraine and Russia should engage in direct dialogue without delay to end the ongoing war. Modi also reiterated India's readiness to play an "active role" in restoring peace in the region.

Modi's nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, marking the first by an Indian Prime Minister since the country’s independence in 1991, occurred just six weeks after his summit talks with President Putin, which stirred concern among some Western nations. During his discussions with President Zelensky in Kyiv, Modi emphasised that India had supported peace from the onset of the conflict. He also expressed his willingness to contribute personally to achieving a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

In August, Ukraine launched an unprecedented cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, deploying thousands of troops and briefly seizing several villages. Following this escalation, President Putin stated that negotiations were off the table. However, during a Q&A session at Russia's Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin reiterated that Russia remained open to talks, but only based on the preliminary agreement reached between Moscow and Kyiv negotiators in Istanbul in 2022—an agreement whose terms were never publicly disclosed.

"Are we ready to negotiate with them? We have never refused to do so, but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of those documents that were agreed and actually initialled in Istanbul," said Putin.

The Kremlin has consistently maintained that Russia and Ukraine were close to reaching an agreement in the spring of 2022, shortly after Moscow initiated its offensive in Ukraine. Despite these claims, the proposed deal never materialised, and the terms of the near-agreement have remained undisclosed.

"We managed to reach an agreement, that is the whole point. The signature of the head of the Ukrainian delegation who initialled this document testifies to this, which means that the Ukrainian side was generally satisfied with the agreements reached," Putin said.

“It did not come into force only because they were given a command not to do so, because the elites of the United States, Europe -- some European countries -- wanted to achieve a strategic defeat of Russia,” the Russian president stated.

Image source: Mint