US Senator Lindsey Graham has urged India to use its “influence” to help President Donald Trump end the Ukraine war, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Graham said that it will be “consequential” in improving relations between Washington and Delhi.

“As I have been telling my friends in India, one of the most consequential things they could do to improve India-US relations is to help President Trump end this bloodbath in Ukraine,” Graham posted on social media on Friday.

Graham said that India is the second-largest purchaser of cheap oil from Russia, which “fuels Putin’s war machine”.

“I hope Prime Minister Modi emphasised to Putin in their recent phone call the need to end this war in Ukraine justly, honourably and forever. I have always believed India influences this matter, and I am hoping they will use it wisely,” Graham added.

Graham was responding to PM Modi’s post on X following his phone call with President Putin.

Modi said he had a “very good and detailed conversation” with “my friend President Putin.” During their phone conversation on Friday, Putin briefed Modi on the latest developments concerning Ukraine.

“In light of the special privileged partnership between Russia and India, Vladimir Putin shared the key outcomes of his meeting with US President’s Special Envoy Steven Witkoff,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

Prime Minister Modi thanked President Putin for the information and confirmed India’s “unwavering stance in favour of settling the situation surrounding Ukraine via political and diplomatic means,” it added.

Modi has invited Putin to India later this year for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

Graham has supported Trump’s decision to impose additional tariffs on India for its purchases of Russian oil, saying, “Making those like India pay a price for their war profiteering is a good place to start.”

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