‘PM Modi Stopped Putin From Using Nukes On Ukraine’: Poland’s Deputy FM Praises India's Role In Russia-Ukraine Talks

Poland has officially recognized India’s diplomatic efforts to prevent the Russia-Ukraine conflict from escalating into a larger catastrophe. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains one of the very few international leaders whose perspective genuinely resonates with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Bartoszewski also pointed back to critical moments in late 2022, asserting that PM Modi played a pivotal role in convincing Moscow to refrain from deploying tactical nuclear weapons during the conflict. Speaking with the news agency ANI, Bartoszewski explained that New Delhi’s decades-long ties with Russia provide India with a unique strategic position, making it an essential contributor to any potential peace process.

PM Modi’s Unique Influence on Vladimir Putin

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a very well-known world statesman who is very respected, and India has a long-standing relationship with the Russian Federation and, before that, with the Soviet Union as a non-aligned nation. President Putin actually pays attention to what Prime Minister Modi tells him," the Polish minister stated.

As communication channels with Moscow remain heavily restricted for most of the West, the Polish minister emphasized that PM Modi belongs to a select group of global figures capable of direct persuasion.

"Prime Minister Modi is one of the few people who can actually exert some pressure and influence on President Putin, and that is clearly something India could do to help stop this conflict," he added.

The Power of Non-Hostile Diplomacy

According to Bartoszewski, messages urging restraint carry far more weight when they originate from nations that Russia does not view as adversaries. Alongside India, he noted that China also holds significant diplomatic leverage in Moscow. "Everybody is against escalation, not only India with Prime Minister Modi but also China's Xi Jinping. It's important, especially when it comes from countries that are not seen as hostile to Russia. India's role here is crucial," Bartoszewski remarked.

Easing Tensions Over Russian Oil Purchases

Beyond the war itself, Bartoszewski revealed that Poland and India have successfully navigated their previous disagreements regarding New Delhi's procurement of discounted Russian crude oil. While Warsaw had initially criticized these transactions for indirectly financing Russia’s military economy, the minister acknowledged that Poland understood the immense economic benefits driving India's decision. He confirmed that both nations have reached a mutual understanding, effectively removing the issue as a point of friction.

"I think we were critical about India buying Russian oil. We understood the economic reason for that because it was at a heavy discount, about 40 per cent less than the market price. We understood that, but it was fuelling the Russian war economy. So we had a different view on that," he clarified.

Moscow Reaffirms Respect for India's Sovereignty

These observations from Poland follow recent statements by Putin himself, who lauded India's sovereign foreign policy and warned that outside attempts to pressure PM Modi regarding New Delhi's alliance with Moscow are futile. "Everyone has understood that putting pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India, which has the largest population in the world, is detrimental for international relations and for bilateral relations," Putin observed during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"It doesn't matter where this pressure comes from. We don't see any negative consequences." "We are glad that India is developing its relations with all countries it thinks important for its national interests," the Russian president concluded.

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