On Monday Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin at his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo near Moscow. Modi declared that he’s ready to support any and all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine.

But while Putin and Modi were cementing their ‘bonds of friendship’, hundreds of miles away in Ukraine some 40 Russian missiles rained down on major cities, including Kiev. President Volodymyr Zelensky subsequently blasted the Indian leader’s visit, calling it a “huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts.”

Kremlin/AP

The two-day visit, which has continued through Tuesday, is Modi’s first since the Russian invasion began two-and-a-half years ago.

“It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day,” Zelensky said in a post on X, referencing a day of destruction which saw at least 39 Ukrainians killed.

Not only did they embrace but had a comfortable chat over tea, looked at show horses, and even rode in a luxury golf cart together with Putin at the wheel.

Modi during a press conference indirectly referenced Monday’s large-scale Russian airstrikes in a rare moment of critical comments aimed at Moscow. He said while seated beside Putin at a press conference, “Whether it’s conflict war or terror, any person who believes in humanity is troubled when there are deaths, especially when innocent children die.”

Moscow has rejected the widespread accusation that it bombed a children’s hospital in Kiev on Monday, instead asserting that a Ukrainian anti-air missile fell on it.

Three weeks ago Putin was driving Kim Jong Un around in a luxury Russian-made limousine, now it’s Modi’s turn…

WATCH: Putin driving Modi in golf cart to tour his residence and check horses pic.twitter.com/Tq9nnfYirS

— Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil (@ivan_8848) July 9, 2024

Modi continued in his remarks: “As a friend, I have always said that peace is necessary for the prosperity of future generations, but I also know that on the battlefield, solutions aren’t easy to come by between guns, bombs and bullets. We have to adopt a path to peace through dialogue.”

He noted that he’s fully aware the “world is watching this current visit and interpreting it in various ways.” The US State Department says it has raised ‘concerns’ with the Indian government about its relationship with Russia. India has remained a key hub importing Russian oil despite US-led sanctions efforts.

Modi added in his statement to the press: “India is ready to support you in every possible way to achieve peace. I assure you and the world that we are in favor of peace and, after talking to my friend Putin yesterday, I have hope.”

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US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller responded to Modi’s Moscow visit with the following: “We would hope India and any other country, when they engage with Russia, would make clear that Russia should respect the UN Charter, should respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

But like with Viktor Orban days ago, Modi has emphasized he is there in pursuit of peace. Modi said Tuesday, “Yesterday, we had a wonderful opportunity to spend four or five hours at your residence, we discussed all the issues in a homely atmosphere. And I am very glad that on the topic of Ukraine, we exchanged views in an open manner, treated each other with respect and talked calmly.”

The two sides also signed a dozen bilateral documents. Russian media details:

Russia and India have agreed on a new trade target of $100 billion by 2030, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra told the media following high-level talks in the Kremlin. Previously, the leaders of the two countries had a target of $30 billion by 2025, which was surpassed by a significant margin during the last financial year.

In 2023, bilateral trade stood at $65 billion, having been driven by a surge in oil purchases. However, Indian exports to Russia stood at less than $5 billion, and both countries emphasized the importance of diversifying trade to make it more sustainable going forward.

#WATCH | Russian President Vladimir Putin confers Russia’s highest civilian honour, Order of St Andrew the Apostle on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. pic.twitter.com/aBBJ2QAINF

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2024

Putin has thanked Modi for “the attention you are paying to the most pressing problems, including trying to find some ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, of course, primarily by peaceful means.”

The Russian president also at one point praised his Indian counterpart’s leadership, “You know how to achieve results in the interests of India and the Indian people,” Putin said. He also noted the huge size of both the Indian economy and continually growing population. “And this means that they feel confident, stable, which is very important.”