Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed gratitude to several world leaders, including former U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for their efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Putin made these remarks during a joint press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, where he acknowledged the significant time and attention devoted by these leaders to address the crisis despite their own domestic priorities. He praised their efforts as part of a "noble mission" aimed at ending hostilities and preventing further loss of life.

Putin also mentioned other leaders, such as China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and South Africa's President, who have been involved in efforts to resolve the conflict. He emphasized that any ceasefire should lead to lasting peace and address the root causes of the crisis.

Putin, as quoted by ANI, said, "As for Ukraine's readiness for a ceasefire, I will tell you how I view it, of course. But I would like to start by thanking the President of the United States, Mr Trump, for paying so much attention to the Ukraine settlement. We all have enough of our own domestic affairs to attend to. But many leaders of states, among them the President of the People's Republic of China, the Prime Minister of India, the Presidents of Brazil and the Republic of South Africa are addressing this issue and give it a lot of their time. We are grateful to all of them for that because this activity is aimed at achieving a noble mission - the mission of ending hostilities and loss of life."

This comes after Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposal supported by the U.S., with Putin agreeing to the idea but seeking further discussions to ensure it results in long-term peace.

PM Modi has consistently advocated for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, stating that India is not neutral but rather on the side of peace. He has maintained close contact with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, emphasizing that solutions cannot be found on the battlefield.

Modi welcomed Trump's efforts to resolve the conflict and reiterated India's support for all peace initiatives.

ANI