Western and Russian envoys clash in rival op-eds ahead of Putin's visit to India

Russian leader’s visit comes at delicate time for relations between traditional allies

- BY ARPAN RAI

Putin and Modi

Vladimir Putin was due to arrive in Delhi on Thursday evening to hold talks with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi at a delicate juncture for the long and largely warm relations between the two countries.

The tension around the Russian president's trip was exemplified by not one but two rare op-eds run by a major Indian newspaper from serving envoys of foreign powers.

In a joint article for the Times of India, British high commissioner Lindy Cameron, French ambassador Thierry Mathou and German ambassador Philipp Ackermann denounced Mr Putin over the war in Ukraine, putting Delhi in an awkward position ahead of the President's trip.

In his first visit to one of Moscow’s key traditional allies since the Ukraine war began in early 2022, Mr Putin was expected to pitch increased sales of Russian oil, missile systems and fighter jets.

Accusing the Russian leader of escalating the war in Ukraine even while peace talks were underway, the European envoys claimed Moscow had launched 22 of the “largest air attacks of the entire war” since the talks began.

“These are not the actions of someone that’s serious about peace. Neither are these indiscriminate attacks mere accidents,” they said, “they area systematic choice by Russia to wage its war of aggression with absolute ruthlessness. And it must end.”

Mr Putin, the European diplomats argued, was “the one leader who could end the war any time he so wishes”.

They also accused Russia of making incursions into European airspace, sparking concern in Nato countries.

In the wake of drone sightings near sensitive facilities, such as airports, in multiple European nations in recent months, a senior Nato military official warned that the alliance was considering “preemptive” action against Russia.