Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi played a significant role in a multinational diplomatic effort that helped prevent Russia from using tactical nuclear weapons during the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Speaking at a press briefing in New Delhi during his official visit to India, Bartoszewski said Prime Minister Modi was among the few global leaders capable of influencing Russian President Vladimir Putin during one of the most sensitive phases of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Poland Highlights India's Diplomatic Role

Bartoszewski stated that India's leadership contributed to international efforts aimed at preventing nuclear escalation in the conflict.

"Prime Minister Modi is one of the few people who actually can exert some pressure and influence on President Putin, and that is clearly something India could do to stop this conflict," Bartoszewski said.

He further claimed that Modi's intervention formed part of broader diplomatic engagement that discouraged Russia from considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons toward the end of 2022.

Nuclear Threats Marked Early Phase of War

Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia and several of its senior officials have repeatedly issued statements referring to the country's nuclear capabilities, raising concerns among Western governments over potential escalation.

Although Western intelligence agencies have consistently maintained that there was no immediate indication of an imminent Russian nuclear strike, they have also assessed that Moscow's nuclear rhetoric should not be dismissed outright.

According to a 2024 assessment by the US intelligence community, Russia's inability to secure rapid battlefield victories, combined with Ukrainian strikes inside Russian territory, continued to fuel concerns that President Putin might consider the use of nuclear weapons under certain circumstances.

India's Position on the Conflict

India has consistently maintained that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly conveyed this position during meetings with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leaders, emphasising that "this is not an era of war" and calling for peaceful negotiations.

New Delhi has also balanced its strategic ties with both Moscow and Western partners while advocating respect for international law and a negotiated settlement.

Remarks Come Amid Continued Diplomatic Engagement

The Polish minister's comments come as India continues to engage with European countries on security, trade and geopolitical issues amid the prolonged conflict in Ukraine.

While Bartoszewski's remarks highlight Poland's assessment of India's diplomatic influence, no independent official account has publicly detailed the specific diplomatic exchanges that he referred to regarding the reported efforts to prevent nuclear escalation in 2022.