WH: Biden wants India to oppose Russian war

The White House said President Joe Biden will press Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a hard line against Russia’s Ukraine invasion.

Press Secretary Jen Psaki says the leaders plan a virtual meeting on Monday. India’s neutral stance in the war has raised concerns in Washington and earned praise from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who lauded India this month for judging “the situation in its entirety, not just in a one-sided way.”

India abstained when the UN General Assembly voted on Thursday to suspend Russia from its seat on the 47-member Human Rights Council over allegations of war crimes.

India continues to purchase Russian energy despite Western pressure to avoid buying Russian oil and gas. And the US has considered sanctions on India for its recent purchase of advanced Russian air defense systems.

Psaki’s statement says Biden will discuss how Russia’s war against Ukraine is destabilizing the global food supply and commodity markets, and the need to strengthen the global economy while “upholding a free, open, rules-based international order to bolster security, democracy, and prosperity.”