New Delhi [India], July 15 (ANI): Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said Russian President Vladimir Putin pays attention to what the Indian Prime Minister tells him.

He also said that PM Modi played in stopping President Putin from using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine at the end of 2022.

'Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a very well-known world statesman, who is very respected, and India has a long-standing relationship with the Russian Federation and, before that, with the Soviet Union as a non-aligned nation. President Putin actually pays attention to what Prime Minister Modi tells him,' he said at a press briefing.

The Polish leader said that PM Modi can exert influence to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

'I mentioned the role Prime Minister Modi played in stopping Putin from using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine at the end of 2022. But it's true, Prime Minister Modi is one of the few people who actually can exert some pressure and influence on President Putin, and that is clearly something India could do to stop this conflict,' he said.

On India's stance on the West Asia conflict, Bartoszewski said India's position is the right position

'Because you are big country, an important country, and you benefit from free access of goods, including oil, and you depend very much on the oil and gas from the Gulf. Poland still maintains contact with Iran... We informed them that our preferred solution is a diplomatic one. So we do the same thing as Prime Minister Modi. We try to talk reason, but to moderate effect, I would say,' he said.

The war between Russia and Ukraine started in February 2022. Putin last month praised India as a 'great country' and defended New Delhi's independent foreign policy, while taking a dig at the attempts by the United States to pressure India over its cooperation with Russia, saying such moves are 'detrimental' to bilateral and international relations.

In an address to the media at the St Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin said, 'We are glad that India is developing its relations with all the countries. It's a great country'

Hailing the largest democracy and a thriving economy, Putin said, 'It's only natural it (India) develops its economy in accordance with its interest with those countries that it deems necessary'.

'The US is trying to pressure India, for example, when it comes to cooperation with Russia. But putting pressure on Narendra Modi is detrimental for international relations and bilateral relations. It doesn't matter where this pressure comes from,' he added.

On India's economic growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Putin said, 'India is one of the leading economies of the world that shows the highest rates of economic growth. This is not something that comes out of the blue. This is a result of the hard work that the government has been doing under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.'

He further highlighted that New Delhi and Moscow enjoy a special privileged strategic partnership. (ANI)