PM Modi's nuke views influenced Russia amid war:CIA chief

Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States, Bill Burns has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his influence over Russian President Vladimir Putin to avert the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. In an interview to PBS TV network, Burns said, Prime Minister Modi's views on the use of nuclear weapons had an impact on the Russians and could well have averted a global disaster in the context of the Ukraine war. India has repeatedly warned against any use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine while calling for dialogue and diplomacy to end the conflict. Modi continued to emphasise to Russian President the need to bring the conflict to an end. The CIA chief's remarks assume significance as Putin had earlier warned of the increasing threat of nuclear war. Putin had warned that Russia will fight by all available means. The CIA Chief's remarks are considered another endorsement of India's position on the Ukraine conflict. The CIA Director’s remarks come as Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted on 3 December that the conflict will “take a while.” He also expressed concern about the “increasing” threat of nuclear war.

Notably, India has been calling for dialogue and diplomacy since the war began between Russia and Ukraine. In a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy as the "only way forward" in the context of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, according to the statement released by PMO. During the telephonic conversation, Putin gave a fundamental assessment of Russia's line in the Ukrainian direction. The talks between the two leaders come after their face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Samarkand in September.