INDIA PERSPECTIVE

New Delhi, July 6, 2026. Indian press approaches the new Russia-Ukraine escalation through the lens of a narrative war that neither Moscow nor Kyiv can settle. Times of India and The Hindu Business Line, citing Reuters, report that Donald Trump offered his assistance to "find a solution" during a nearly 90-minute call with Vladimir Putin, held on the day of the American national holiday. According to Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov, the American president "reconfirmed his determination to work toward an end to hostilities," while Moscow continues to demand a solution that accounts for its "fundamental approach" to the Donbass. In that same exchange, Ushakov accused Kyiv and its European allies of "betting on the extension or even escalation of the conflict, and on terrorism against civilians"—a direct reference to Ukraine's long-range strikes targeting Russian oil infrastructure, including a terminal hit in recent days. Putin, for his part, assured Trump that his forces "are advancing with confidence, liberating one locality after another," citing the claimed seizure of Kostiantynivka, a strategic hub in Donetsk. Volodymyr Zelensky immediately rejected this claim on X, calling it a "new Russian lie, an attempt to fabricate a scoop," insisting that the city remains under Ukrainian control. Indian press also highlights a separate but revealing accusation: Ukrainian military intelligence claims that animal graves infected with anthrax, poorly maintained in the occupied Kherson region, pose a health risk that Kyiv describes as "biological terrorism." Neither Reuters nor Indian outlets have been able to independently verify these claims—a recurring reminder throughout the coverage. For New Delhi, accustomed to balancing Moscow and Washington in its own strategic calculations, this informational landscape chiefly confirms the persistent diplomatic impasse ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey.