One of the eye-catching moments from the high-stakes Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin was Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin sharing a ride in Putin’s Aurus limousine as they left the venue.
The ride was reportedly offered by Putin as he wanted PM Modi to travel with him to the hotel where their bilateral meeting was scheduled. According to ANI sources, the Russian leader even waited nearly 10 minutes so that PM Modi could join him.
Also Read:PM Modi, Putin travel in same car for bilateral meet after SCO SummitÂ
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Putin shares details of Trump talks
Putin has now offered the first glimpse into that much-talked-about limousine ride. He revealed that during almost an hour-long private conversation, he briefed PM Modi about his discussions with US President Donald Trump at the Alaska summit earlier in the week. “There is no secret. I told him what we talked about in Alaska,” Putin told reporters during a press conference in China, foreign media reported.
Also Read: PM Modi’s Bilateral Meet With Putin: “Humanity wants an end to Russia-Ukraine conflict”, says PM Modi Â
Extended conversation inside Aurus
Although the drive to the hotel venue lasted about 15 minutes, the two leaders continued their one-to-one discussion inside the car for reportedly another 45 minutes before joining their delegations. Russian national radio station VestiFM reported that even after reaching the hotel, the two remained inside the limousine to continue their exchange.
Later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the two leaders had a rare, extended tete-a-tete. “He did not want to interrupt the important conversation. But the ‘home walls’ of the car also played a role,” Peskov remarked.
Also Read: During Alaska meet, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s delegation had to pay $250,000 in cash–Here’s what happened
Wider context of Alaska summit
The Alaska summit between Putin and Trump, held last month, focused heavily on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. President Trump had made it clear that “there is no deal until there is a deal,” signalling the absence of any breakthrough.
Putin, however, described the talks as “thorough and useful,” adding that Russia was “sincerely interested in putting an end” to the conflict but highlighted Moscow’s “legitimate concerns.” The Russian president is expected to travel to India in December for another round of summit-level talks with PM Modi, where both sides are likely to take forward discussions held in the limousine at Tianjin.
