Why did Modi urge Putin to end Ukraine war - and will he listen?

This is not the first time a foreign figure has publicly pressed Putin to halt the fighting in Ukraine. Five weeks ago, Kazakh President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev urged Putin to freeze the conflict and return to the negotiating table. Putin did not comply, and he has not done so since. There is no sign that such nationalist appeals for a cease‑fire have altered Putin’s calculations. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a cessation of hostilities, the Kremlin’s response was: "Thank you precise much, premier minister. We are moving guardant on this path." The reply was courteous but vague and non‑committal. After all, a path can be short, or it can stretch out indefinitely. The critical questions remain: at what pace is Moscow “moving forward,” and along which route? All available evidence indicates that Russia’s leadership remains convinced it is on a course to achieve military triumph in Ukraine. Framing that ambition in terms of peace, Moscow interprets “moving forward” as advancing a settlement dictated by its own battlefield success. Consequently, the war continues for now. Even after more than four‑and‑a‑half years of fighting and substantial military losses, the Kremlin has yet to claim victory. Meanwhile, Ukraine has succeeded in bringing the war back onto Russian soil. Long‑range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have triggered fuel shortages and produced petrol queues across the country.