New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Tuesday that he is “deeply concerned” by reports of the targeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence, and stressed that the ongoing diplomatic efforts are the most viable path towards ending hostilities and achieving peace.

“Deeply concerned by reports of the targeting of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation. Ongoing diplomatic efforts offer the most viable path toward ending hostilities and achieving peace. We urge all concerned to remain focused on these efforts and to avoid any actions that could undermine them,” PM Modi posted on X.

PM Modi’s statement comes after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of launching unmanned aerial vehicles at the state residence of Putin in the early hours of December 29. He stated that Russia will respond to Ukraine’s attack, news agency Tass reported.

On the night of December 28-29, “the Kiev regime launched a terrorist attack using 91 long-range strike unmanned aerial vehicles on the state residence of the president of the Russian Federation in Novgorod Region”, the Foreign Minister said.

All drones were destroyed by Russian air defences, and there were no reports about casualties or damage, he said, noting that the development comes amid intense negotiations to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said that he had a “good” and “very productive” telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart, prior to his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida over the latest draft of a peace plan aimed at ending the Ukraine conflict.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the telephonic conversation between Putin and Trump on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Trump said that peace negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine were “very close” following what he described as a “terrific meeting” with Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said: “We’ve done very well. We’ve had discussions on just about every subject”, adding that the two sides had “made a lot of progress on ending that war”.

–IANS

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