Tainjin: Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that his private conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their shared car ride in China, centred around the recent US-Russia summit held in Alaska. The disclosure comes amid renewed efforts to ease tensions over the Ukraine conflict and strengthen strategic cooperation between Russia and India.
Speaking to reporters during his four-day visit to China, Putin said, “I told him about the negotiations in Alaska,” referring to his meeting with US President Donald Trump in August. The car ride took place as the two leaders travelled together from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit venue in Tianjin to their scheduled bilateral talks.
An Unusually Long and Private Exchange
Putin and Modi rode together in the Russian President’s AURUS limousine, reportedly discussing key issues in a closed-door format. As per reports, commentators in Moscow have described the ride as possibly the most confidential segment of their interaction.
Although they arrived at the venue for formal talks, they remained inside the vehicle for over 45 minutes before being joined by their respective teams. Russian national radio station VestiFM reported that the two leaders “continued their one-to-one dialogue” even after reaching the hotel, adding weight to the significance of the conversation.
Putin’s mention of the Alaska summit suggests that India was being briefed in detail about Russia’s position and the outcomes of the recent dialogue with Washington. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev had earlier said, according to CNN, that the US received Russia “very well” in Alaska and that the meeting was “definitely productive”.
Modi Calls for Peace, Putin Eyes Eurasian Security Model
During their subsequent bilateral talks, PM Modi reiterated India’s call for an early end to the Ukraine conflict, saying that “it is humanity’s call to end the conflict as soon as possible”.
Putin is expected to visit India in December for summit-level discussions.
