Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday asserted that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are “responsible” leaders. He said that they both are capable of solving issues between the two countries, and that it was important that no “extra-regional power” should interfere in the process.

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Russia is known to be publicly critical of the Quad, the four-nation grouping of India, the US, Japan and Australia. In this regard, Putin also told that though it was not up to Moscow to assess how any nation should participate in an initiative and to what extent they should build their relations with other countries. He cautioned that no partnership should be aimed at making friends against anyone.

The Russian president’s remarks came in response to a question on Moscow’s view on Quad as well as India’s participation in the grouping. They were a veiled reference to the Chinese claim that the grouping is to contain Beijing’s influence in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

Putin further asserted that there were no “contradictions” in Russia’s partnership with India and the ties between Moscow and Beijing.

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During a virtual interaction, the Russian President told PTI through a translator, “Yes, I do know that there are some issues related to India China relations but there are always a lot of issues between neighbouring countries but I know the attitude of both the Prime Minister of India and also the President of China. These are very responsible people and they earnestly treat one another with utmost respect and I believe that they will always arrive at a solution to any issue that they might face. But it is important that no other extra-regional power is interfering with that.”

Putin was asked about the growing proximity between Russia and China and if that will impact the Indo-Russia security and defence cooperation. In response, he said that the relations between India and Russia were developing quite rapidly, quite successfully based on “trust”.

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He added, “We highly appreciate such a high level of cooperation with our Indian friends. These relations are of a strategic nature. They cover a whole range of avenues of our cooperation in economy, energy and hi-tech. In defence, and I am not just talking about purchase of Russian arms. We have very deep profound relations with India based on trust.”

Putin also asserted on the importance of the special relationship between India and Russia. He stated that India is Russia’s crucial partner in the region & that they are working together with on “elaborating and manufacturing, especially in India, advanced weapon systems and technologies”. He added, “But that is not where our cooperation ends because our cooperation is multifaceted.”

Putin was also asked about Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s criticism of Quad as ‘Asian NATO’ and his view on India’s participation in the grouping. He answered, “We are not participating in the quad, it is not my place to give my assessment to any other country participating in any initiative because every sovereign nation has the right to decide with whom and to what extent they are building their relations. I only believe that any partnership between countries should be aimed at making friends against anyone, No.”

His maiden summit with US President Joe Biden in Geneva is slated to take place on June 16. On this, the Russian president said that he was not expecting any “breakthrough”. On the upcoming US-Russia summit, Putin commented, “We are not taking steps first I am talking about the steps that deteriorated our relations. It was not us who introduced sanctions against US; it was the United States who did that on every occasion and even without grounds, just because our country exists.”