Modi,Xi responsible leaders, capable to resolve their issues- Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are "responsible" leaders and both are capable of solving issues between the two countries. It was important that no "extra-regional power" should interfere in the process. He also asserted that there were no "contradictions" in Russia's partnership with India and the ties between Moscow and Beijing.

During a virtual interaction with select top editors of major international news agencies, including from the US, India, the UK, Germany and France, Vladimir Putin replied to wide ranging issues, including Russia-US ties, the pandemic situation, the US sanctions against Russia and the Gaza issue. Putin said the relations between India and Russia were developing quite rapidly, quite successfully based on "trust". President Putin also asserted that India is Russia's only partner that they are working together with on "elaborating and manufacturing, especially in India, advanced weapon systems and technologies but that is not where our cooperation ends because our cooperation is multifaceted."

Asked about Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's criticism of Quad as "Asian NATO" and his view on India's participation in the grouping, Vladimir Putin said, "we are not participating in the quad, it is not my place to give my assessment to any other country participating in any initiative because every sovereign nation has the right to decide with whom and to what extent they are building their relations. I only believe that any partnership between countries should be aimed at making friends against anyone.

Ahead of his maiden summit with US President Joe Biden in Geneva on June 16, the Russian President also said that he was not expecting any "breakthrough". "We are not taking steps first - I'm talking about the steps that deteriorated our relations. It was not us who introduced sanctions against US, it was the United States who did that on every occasion and even without grounds, just because our country exists," he said.