‘Couldn’t agree more’: US lauds PM Modi’s remarks on Ukraine

New Delhi, Sep 27: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said that he 'couldn't agree more', with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that "this is not an era or the time for war".

"I really want to emphasize what PM Modi said, I think he captured, as well as anyone I have heard, fundamentally what this moment is about as he said, this is not an era, the time for war & we could not agree more," Blinken said during a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.

PM Modi, who met Putin on the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan's Samarkand, had told the Russian leader that "today's era is not of war".

He has spoken to Putin several times over the phone regarding this issue and underlined the importance of democracy, diplomacy and dialogue.

Blinken surther said that "no two countries have a greater ability, opportunity and responsibility to try to shape the future".

Jaishankar also flagged some visa-related challenges for Indians to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in their meeting.

"On mobility, specifically visas, this is particularly crucial, given its centrality to education, business, technology and family reunions; there have been some challenges of late and I flagged it to Secretary Blinken and his team and I have every confidence that they will look at some of these problems seriously and positively," Jaishankar said.

Blinken said the issues were largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that the United States was aiming to address those concerns.