U.S. President Joe Biden, on Monday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss his recent visits to Ukraine and Poland. During their conversation, the leaders covered a wide range of topics, including the crisis in Bangladesh and the safety of minorities, particularly Hindus, in the neighboring country.
Prime Minister Modi briefed President Biden on his trip to Ukraine and reiterated India’s support for dialogue and diplomacy, emphasizing the need for a swift return to peace and stability.
“The two leaders expressed concern about the situation in Bangladesh, highlighting the need to restore law and order and ensure the safety of minorities, especially Hindus,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated India’s full support for early return of peace and stability.
We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2024
Modi also expressed gratitude to President Biden for his commitment to the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. The two leaders reviewed the progress in bilateral relations and stressed that the partnership is intended to benefit the people of both nations.
“The leaders had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues. They reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in multilateral platforms, including the Quad,” the statement from the PMO added.
A White House readout stated, “President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India to discuss the Prime Minister’s recent visits to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in September. The President praised the Prime Minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, particularly in its energy sector. The leaders reaffirmed their support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in line with international law and the UN Charter. They also emphasized their commitment to working together through regional groups like the Quad to promote peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”
This phone conversation followed Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Kyiv on August 23, which is seen as a diplomatic move to balance his earlier visit to Russia, a visit that had drawn criticism from the Biden administration.
During his visit to Ukraine, Modi assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that India is willing to actively contribute to the peace process and urged that Ukraine and Russia engage in dialogue to end the conflict.
