Did PM Modi Stop Putin From Using Nuclear Weapons? Polish Minister Makes Explosive Claim

Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin not to use tactical nuclear weapons during a critical phase of the Ukraine war in late 2022, Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski has claimed.

Speaking after the India Poland Joint Economic Commission meeting in New Delhi, Bartoszewski said Modi is among the very few world leaders whose advice Putin genuinely respects because of India's decades long relationship with Russia.

"President Putin actually pays attention to what Prime Minister Modi tells him," Bartoszewski said. "I mentioned the role Prime Minister Modi played in stopping Putin from using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine at the end of 2022," he added, saying Modi remains one of the few world leaders capable of influencing the Russian President and helping bring an end to the conflict.

The remarks have renewed attention on one of the most dangerous moments of the Russia Ukraine war. In September 2022, as fighting intensified, Prime Minister Modi delivered his widely quoted message to Putin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Uzbekistan, saying, "Today's era is not of war." The statement was praised globally and later featured in the G20 Leaders' Declaration.

While Bartoszewski did not provide evidence for his claim, Western officials had publicly expressed concerns in late 2022 that Russia could consider using tactical nuclear weapons after suffering military setbacks. However, no such weapons were ultimately used.

Since the war began, India has maintained a balanced position by calling for peace and dialogue while continuing its strategic relationship with Russia. At the same time, Modi has stayed in touch with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , including his historic visit to Kyiv in 2024.

The Polish minister also praised India's diplomatic approach to the Iran conflict and reaffirmed Poland's support for India's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council , calling India an increasingly important global power.