PM Modi’s engagement with Putin prevented ‘potential nuclear attack’ on Ukraine: Report

Posted on : March 10, 2024 By Santo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic outreach, along with collaborative efforts from several nations, proved instrumental in averting Russia’s contemplated “potential nuclear attack” on Ukraine, as reported by CNN on Saturday.

According to the report, citing information from two senior officials, the United States had been diligently preparing for the possibility of a nuclear strike by Russia on Ukraine amidst President Vladimir Putin’s military facing continuous setbacks on the battlefield.

According to the CNN report, US officials stated that diplomatic efforts and public statements made by Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi played a crucial role in averting a crisis.

The report indicated that as Ukrainian forces approached Kherson, there was a risk of entire Russian units being encircled. At the same time, Moscow purportedly suggested that Ukraine might resort to using a dirty bomb. Within the US administration, there was a concern that a significant defeat in Kherson could prompt Russia to deploy nuclear weapons, with the dirty bomb claim potentially serving as a pretext for such action.

To prevent this crisis, the US sought support from non-allied countries like India to dissuade Russia from taking drastic measures. A senior US administration official revealed, “One of the things we did was not only message them directly but strongly urge, press, encourage other countries, to whom they might be more attentive, to do the same thing.” The official added, “I think the fact that we know, India weighed in, China weighed in, others weighed in, may have had some effect on their thinking.”

India has consistently condemned civilian casualties and advocated for a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In September 2022, during the SCO summit in Uzbekistan, PM Modi conveyed to Putin that “this is not the era of war,” underscoring India’s commitment to pursuing paths towards peace.

Posted on : March 10, 2024 By Santo