India's Modi reaffirms support for peaceful end to Ukraine-Russia war in meeting with Putin

The two leaders meet for talks in Kazan ahead of the Brics summit

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  Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands on the sidelines of the Brics summit. AFP

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  Mr Putin and Mr Erdogan on the sidelines of the Brics summit. AFP

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  Mr Putin, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping with Zinash Tayachew, wife of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, during a reception at the summit. EPA

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  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, centre, and Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani at the reception. EPA

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  President Sheikh Mohamed meets Mr Xi during the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, on Wednesday October 23. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed in discussions with Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed greets Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. Photo: UAE Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed and other Brics leaders, from left, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, pose for a family photo at the Brics summit. AFP

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  Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a Brics summit session. AP

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  President Sheikh Mohamed arrives at the Brics summit. Reuters

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  Sheikh Mohamed at the Brics summit which is being staged in Kazan, Russia. Reuters

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  Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs shake hands during the welcoming ceremony prior to an informal dinner on the sidelines of the Brics Summit. AP

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  From left, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira attend the welcoming ceremony. AP

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  Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, Mr Putin, centre, and Mr Modi attend a concert before an informal dinner on the sidelines of the Brics Summit in Kazan. EPA

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  Mr Putin, right, and Mr El Sisi shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the summit at Kazan City Hall in Kazan, Russia. AP

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  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attends a welcoming ceremony at Kazan Airport upon his arrival to participate in the summit. Reuters

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  Mr Putin meets Mr Xi on the sidelines of the event. AFP

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  Mr Putin meets Dilma Rousseff, chairwoman of the New Development Bank and former president of Brazil. Reuters

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  Mr Putin greets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the summit. EPA

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told Russian President Vladimir Putin of his country's readiness to assist in bringing a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Brics summit in the Russian city of Kazan on Tuesday, their second encounter in about three months.

Mr Modi reaffirmed that the war, which started in February 2022, needs to be resolved peacefully. “We have been in constant touch over Russia’s conflict with Ukraine," he said. "As I have said earlier, too, we believe that disputes should only be resolved peacefully. We totally support efforts to quickly restore peace and stability."

More than 35,000 people have been killed in the war, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates.

“All our efforts put humanity first," Mr Modi added. "India is ready to offer all possible support on this in the coming time. Today is another important opportunity to discuss all these issues.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin embraces Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Kazan on Tuesday. Reuters

Russia is chairing the two-day summit that is expected to cover a broad range of issues, including economic co-operation, climate change and digital inclusion.

Brics is an alliance which initially included five emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The intergovernmental organisation admitted four new members, the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia and Iran, after a decision to expand was made at the Brics summit in Johannesburg in August last year. Together the Brics countries now account for about 37.3 per cent of the world's GDP, according to the European Parliament, or more than half as much as the EU (14.5 per cent).

In July, Mr Modi visited Moscow at the invitation of Mr Putin for the 22nd Russia-India annual summit – the highest dialogue mechanism between the nations. The trip prompted angry reactions from Ukraine.

India is a long-time partner of Russia and New Delhi has sought to galvanise the relationship despite the objections of the US and many other western countries.

Mr Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping also discussed Ukraine and other global issues during their meeting on the sidelines of the summit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The two leaders reaffirmed their strong strategic partnership and outlined plans for future co-operation, Mr Peskov added.

Mr Modi later met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who expressed "deep concern" over the widening of Israel's conflict with Iran-backed groups in neighbouring countries. The war in Lebanon exploded from tit-for-tat strikes last month, leaving more than 2,500 people dead and in excess of a million displaced as Israel rains bombs down on villages in the south and the capital Beirut. Mr Modi reiterated India’s call to de-escalate the situation, a statement from his office said, and emphasised the need to protect civilians.