PM Modi's stance helped convince Russians against using nukes in Ukraine: CIA chief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's perspective helped persuade Russians against the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and averted a tragedy, said Bill Burns, director of the US' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in an interview with American public broadcaster PBS. 

"I think it's also been very useful that Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi in India have also raised their concerns about the use of nuclear weapons as well. I think that's also having an impact on the Russians," Burns said.  

The chief of US' foreign intelligence service further said Vladimir Putin's "saber-rattling is meant to intimidate." "We don't see any clear evidence today of plans to use tactical nuclear weapons. We have made it very clear to the Russians what the serious risks of that would be."  

'Conflict is going to take a while'

The CIA chief's comments come after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would fight using "all available means" in a meeting of the Russian Human Rights Council.

Elucidating on the possibility of using nuclear weapons, Putin said, "As for the idea that Russia wouldn't use such weapons first under any circumstances, then it means we wouldn't be able to use them second either -- because the possibility to do so in case of an attack on our territory would be very limited," CNN reported.  

The Russian President said on December 3 that the conflict is "going to take a while."  

India calls for negotiations 

India, among several other nations, has called for an end to violence and urged that negotiations and diplomacy be used to resolve the Ukraine conflict. 

Prime Minister Modi, in a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said diplomatic negotiations are the only way to resolve the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

The Indian PM met Putin in September this year in Uzbekistan's Samarkand on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit 2022. At the meeting, PM Modi famously told Putin: "Today's era is not of war."  

"Today's era is not of war and I have spoken to you about it on the call. Today we will get this opportunity to talk about how we can progress on the path of peace. India and Russia have stayed together with each other for several decades. We spoke several times on the phone about India-Russia bilateral relations and various issues. We should find ways to address the problems of food, fuel security and fertilisers," Prime Minister Modi had said.