PM Modi, Joe Biden Kickstart 2+2 Dialogue With A Virtual Meet

Foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh will hold extensive discussions with their US counterparts 바카라� secretary of state Antony Blinken and defence secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington later today. The meeting between the two leaders will likely be for around 45 minutes to one hour.

The opening remarks by both leaders were warm and cordial though there will be tough talk on India바카라�s position on Russia바카라�s invasion of Ukraine behind closed doors. 

The Americans are put off by New Delhi바카라�s refusal to openly condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The fact that President Biden called for a virtual conversation with the Prime Minister ahead of the 2+2 is an indication of how much effort is going into weaning India away from Russia.

New Delhi바카라�s neutral stand is irking Washington.The US have not hidden their disappointment over India바카라�s stand and both Modi, Jaishankar, and Rajnath Singh are aware that there would be some tough talk.

In his opening remarks, Prime Minister thanked the US President for initiating the virtual meeting. Modi said their conversation ahead of the 2+2 meeting would set the framework for the meeting slated for later Monday morning.

He emphasised the shared values of the two countries: 바카라�As the world's two largest and oldest democracies, we are natural partners. And the progress that has been made in our relations over the last few years, the new momentum that has been created, perhaps it was something difficult to imagine, even a decade ago from today.바카라�바카라� 

He said they were talking at a time when the situation in Ukraine was of great concern to the international community. The PM spoke of India바카라�s successful effort  at evacuating  20,000 citizens, mostly students from Ukraine. 

He said he had spoken separately to both President Vladimir Putin as well as President Zelenskyy several times. ``I not only appealed for peace, but also suggested President Putin to have direct talks with the President of Ukraine.바카라� 

The subject of Ukraine has also been discussed in great detail in our Parliament.

The Prime Minister바카라�s efforts were to tell his US counterpart that India may not have pointed fingers at Moscow, but was as concerned about civilian death in Bucha, as much as the West. 

Modi said India has ``condemned the killings immediately,바카라�바카라� and demanded a was also deeply worried about reports of civilians killed in Bucha. 바카라�We condemned it immediately and have also demanded a fair probe. We hope that the ongoing dialogue between Russia and Ukraine will pave the way for peace.바카라�

He spoke at length about the humanitarian help that New Delhi had sent to Ukraine and the PM added that more aid would be extended and that Ukraine had requested an additional consignment of medicines. 

He recalled President Biden바카라�s slogan that ``democracies can deliver바카라�바카라� and said that India and the US can show this through the success of their partnership. He concluded by saying that as  India and the US were celebrating 75-years of diplomatic ties, 바카라�I am confident that friendship with the United States will remain an integral part of India's development journey over the next 25 years.바카라�바카라�