India is a strategic partner with whom we maintain a comprehensive and open dialogue, the United States said on Monday during a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

“India is a strategic partner with whom we have a comprehensive and open dialogue. And that includes our concerns about India's relations with Russia,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

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He was responding to questions about Modi's visit to Moscow for bilateral talks with Putin.

“We just saw Modi, as well as (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orban, meet with (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky. We thought that was an important step. And we would urge India, as any country that engages with Russia, to make clear that any solution to the conflict in Ukraine must be one that respects the UN Charter, that respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,” Miller said.

“I will look at Prime Minister Modi's public statements to see what he has talked about. But as I said, we have clearly expressed our concerns to India about relations with Russia. So we hope that India and any other country, when they engage with Russia, make it clear that Russia should respect the UN Charter and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he said in response to a question.

Putin received Modi on Monday evening at his official residence in Novo-Ogaryovo for a “private meeting” during which he praised the Indian leader for his work to advance the country.

This is Modi's first trip to Russia since the invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.