Russian strongman Vladimir Putin expressed firm support to the government of India and accepted an invitation to visit the country in a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
Putin used the occasion to express solidarity with India following the gruesome terrorist attack on a resort in Jammu and Kashmir in late April, while Modi offered congratulations to Putin on the upcoming 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Russian government claims total responsibility for defeating Nazi Germany and hosts a large parade and other events throughout the week erasing the pivotal American role in defeating the Axis powers and celebrating the defunct former “Soviet Union.”
The conversation between Putin and Modi comes at a pivotal time for the relationship both countries have with America. Russia is currently participating, albeit distantly, in attempts by the administration of President Donald Trump to end its invasion and colonization of Ukraine.
Trump and his officials have expressed frustration in the past week with the Kremlin claiming eagerness to end the war, and announcing “ceasefires,” only to launch renewed bombing campaigns into civilian areas in Ukraine.
File/Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) gestures as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) looks on during their bilateral meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace, on July 9, 2024 in Moscow, Russia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to Moscow. (Contributor/Getty Images)
India, in turn, is in the midst of renegotiating its trade relationship with Trump following the imposition of a new tariff regime on all of America’s trade partners. India first faced a 34-percent tariff increase on its exports to America, but the White House paused those tariffs following New Delhi expressing an immediate willingness to negotiate an agreement the Trump administration would deem more favorable to Americans. India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal called the renegotiation the “opportunity of a lifetime,” particularly in the context of China, India’s biggest economic rival, aggressively refusing to negotiate and as a result facing 145-percent tariffs on its goods shipped to the United States.
Putin and Modi also have in common their membership in BRICS, an anti-American commercial and security coalition they founded. The BRICS nations held a foreign minister summit last week in Brazil that ended in discord and failure to publish a joint statement, reportedly the result of newer members Ethiopia and Egypt complaining about a push for South Africa to receive a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. International observers viewed the lack of a joint statement as a particularly challenging failure in the context of BRICS nations nearly all facing the onslaught of Trump tariffs.
India’s External Affairs Ministry revealed on Monday that Putin told Modi his nation “strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam, India” and offered the country “full support.”
“PM [Modi] conveyed greetings to President Putin on the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day and invited him for the Annual Summit to be held in India later in the year,” the statement read.
The Indian government statement omitted any mention of the BRICS foreign minister summit, the Ukraine invasion, or the Trump tariff regime.
President Vladimir Putin of Russia called PM Narendra Modi and strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam, India….
Posted by Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India on Monday, May 5, 2025
The Kremlin confirmed in its remarks on the call that Putin also accepted an invitation to visit India in the near future. Putin’s travel has been significantly limited by the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing a warrant for his arrest in response to evidence of ordering war crimes in Ukraine. India is not a part of the ICC, however, and has no obligation to act on that arrest warrant.
Moscow added that, while Modi will not travel to Russia for World War II victory celebrations, India will send diplomats to attend the parade. Also expected at that event is genocidal Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, who will spend the second half of the week meeting with Putin and attending events in the country.
India, while maintaining friendly relations with America and other Ukrainian allies, has refused to impose sanctions on Russia or stop buying its oil in response to the ongoing invasion. Modi visited Ukraine in August, however, for tense conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
President Donald Trump has spent much of the first 100 days of his second term attempting to mediate an end to the war. Multiple meetings with Zelensky have yielded mixed results, though Trump described his most recent meeting with the leader, taking place in Vatican City following the funeral of Pope Francis, as positive.
“They have a tough road ahead, OK?” Trump said of Ukraine. “We had a good meeting, it was a nice meeting … he [Zelensky] wants to do something good for his country, he thinks he’s doing a good job and he’s working hard.”
Trump described himself, in contrast, as “surprised and disappointed” by Russia’s stance on the war.
“I want him [Putin] to stop shooting, sit down, and sign a deal. And we have the confines of a deal, I believe, and I want him to sign it and be done with it, and just go back to life,” Trump said.
In a recent post on his social media site Truth Social, Trump condemned Putin for continuing to allow Russian bombings of civilians in Ukraine – and threatened further sanctions.
“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” Trump wrote. “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy to Ukraine General Keith Kellogg (ret.) told Fox News on Wednesday that Russia, not Ukraine, is the impediment to peace currently.
“Today, Putin is betting on Western fatigue. He wants to ‘freeze’ the war – not end it,” Kellogg explained. “And that is why any ‘truce’ without guarantees and justice would only open the door to new aggression.”
“Easing sanctions, concessions or negotiations on the Kremlin’s terms is a trap. You cannot simultaneously talk about peace and arm yourself for a new attack,” he continued. “Moscow has not changed its goals. On the contrary, the Russian Federation is exploiting diplomatic talks to buy time, regroup, circumvent sanctions, and continue the war at a time of its own choosing.”
Putin announced another “ceasefire” last week to take place from May 8 to 10 to celebrate the World War II anniversary – one the State Department dismissed as unserious.
“If this really is about a commitment to anything regular and actually humanitarian, why wait for ten days?” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce asked in a recent interview. “And it’s not — what President Trump is asking for and what Secretary Rubio has noted, regularly, is that we need to see real action that indicates that these parties, in particular, of course, President Putin, is serious about stopping the carnage.”
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