'I think there's still time for Putin to stop the war. I think there's still time for it. PM Modi can convince; I will let PM Modi speak to whatever efforts he's willing to undertake', said White House spokesperson John Kirby
White House spokesperson John Kirby said that The United States would welcome any effort that could lead to an end of hostilities in Ukraine. He said this when asked if it was too late for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to stop the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"I'll let the PM (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) speak to whatever efforts he's willing to undertake. The United States would welcome any effort that could lead to an end of hostilities in Ukraine", said John Kirby on Friday.
"I think there's still time for Putin to stop the war. I think there's still time for it. PM Modi can convince; I will let PM Modi speak to whatever efforts he's willing to undertake. The US would welcome any effort that could lead to an end of hostilities in Ukraine," he added.
Kirby continued, "We think the war could end today...should end today,"
The statement assumes significance as it comes a day after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
"The single person responsible for what the Ukrainian people are going through is Vladimir Putin and he could stop it right now. Instead, he's firing cruise missiles into energy and power infrastructure and trying to knock out the lights and knock out the heat so the Ukrainian people suffer even more than they already have," Kirby said.
"So that when President Zelensky determines it's time to negotiate and he's the only one that can make that determination, he can do it with the strongest hand possible," he added.
Since the onset of Russia-Ukraine conflict, PM Modi had spoken to Russian President Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky several times.
Modi, who met Putin on the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan's Samarkand, had told the Russian leader, “I know today’s era is not [an era] of war. We discussed this issue with you on phone several times, that democracy, diplomacy and dialogue touch the entire world." (sic).
He has spoken to Putin several times over the phone regarding this issue and underlined the importance of democracy, diplomacy and dialogue.
PM Modi's call for an immediate cessation of violence between Russia and Ukraine was welcomed by the US and resonated widely in Europe in a very positive way.
In December last year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought India's support in the implementation of his "peace formula" during a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who strongly reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia.
Modi said both sides should revert to dialogue and diplomacy to find a lasting solution to their differences and conveyed India's support for any peace efforts to Zelenskyy, according to an official statement.
In a tweet, Zelenskyy said he counted on New Delhi's support for the implementation of his "peace formula", which he had proposed during a virtual address at the recent G20 summit in Bali.
(With agency inputs)