Putin’s India visit explores defence, energy and trade ties amid US pressure on Russian oil. The summit could reshape India’s balance between Moscow and Washington.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday at an annual summit and agreed to diversify mutual economic ties, as the United States presses India to revise its decades-old partnership with Russia.

MS NOW host Rachel Maddow said the Kremlin is running the United States' foreign policy in an interview on "The Late Show" with host Stephen Colbert. "You know, Russia is a podunk country," Maddow said to Colbert.

Professor Šumit Ganguly, Director of the Huntington Program at Stanford's Hoover Institution, says Putin's visit to India reflects ongoing ties despite U.S. pressure.

Putin is visiting India on Thursday and Friday to attend the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. Modi, who visited Moscow last year and met Putin briefly at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in September, has refrained from condemning Russia over Ukraine, emphasizing a peaceful resolution, according to The Associated Press.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump declared that he would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin only after a peace agreement had been reached or was close to being finalized.

Five hours of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and top United States negotiators did not yield a breakthrough compromise on a possible Ukraine peace deal, a Kremlin aide said early Wednesday.

Trump's Venezuela strategy targets Putin's allies, potentially creating leverage to end the Ukraine war through weakening Russia's client states.

The Trump administration, which crippled Russia’s oil sales to India with sanctions, will be watching Mr. Putin’s talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

When Vladimir Putin’s plane touches down in New Delhi this week, he will be met with the pomp and ceremony reserved for one of India’s most steadfast partners. Yet his host, Prime Narendra Modi, is simultaneously forging a deep strategic relationship with a key global rival: the United States.

Russia's Vladimir Putin tossed a wrench into a tenuous U.S.-led effort to secure an end to the war by issuing an ultimatum to Ukrainian forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday met with his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu and attended a ceremonial reception together with his Russian delegation.