Washington [US], August 9 (ANI): US Senator Lindsey Graham on Friday (local time) urged India to use its influence with Russia to help end the war in Ukraine, calling it one of the most significant steps to improve India-US relations.

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'As I have been telling my friends in India, one of the most consequential things they could do to improve India-U.S. relations is to help President Trump end this bloodbath in Ukraine,' Graham said in a post on X.

He noted that 'India is the second largest purchaser of Putin's cheap oil -- the proceeds of which fuel his war machine.'

'I hope Prime Minister Modi emphasized to Putin in their recent phone call the need to end this war in Ukraine justly, honorably and forever,' he added.

'I have always believed India has influence in this matter and I am hoping they will use it wisely,' Graham said.

The remarks came on the same day Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had a 'very good and detailed' conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'I thanked him for sharing the latest developments on Ukraine. We also reviewed the progress in our bilateral agenda, and reaffirmed our commitment to further deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. I look forward to hosting President Putin in India later this year,' he said in a post on X.

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'Had a very good and detailed conversation with my friend President Putin. I thanked him for sharing the latest developments on Ukraine,' PM Modi said in a post on X.

'We also reviewed the progress in our bilateral agenda, and reaffirmed our commitment to further deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,' he added.

'I look forward to hosting President Putin in India later this year,' the Prime Minister said.

The development comes amid US President Donald Trump's call for imposing 100 per cent 'secondary tariffs' on Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to end the conflict in Ukraine within 50 days, with Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal warning countries, including India, of economic sanctions if they continue business with Russia.

South Carolina Republican Senator Graham and Democratic Senator Bluementhal are leading 85 cosponsors on a bipartisan bill they introduced in Congress earlier this year calling for implementing sanctions on Moscow, which they say could be a 'sledgehammer' President Trump needs to end the conflict.

'We'll continue to push for Senator Graham & my Russia Sanctions bill with even tougher penalties to deter India, China, Brazil & others from fueling Putin's war machine. Congressional action sends a powerful message of support,' Richard Bluementhal said in a post on his social media handle X.

As per a joint statement by Graham and Blumenthal, China, India, and Brazil and other nations 'that prop up Putin's war machine' by purchasing 'cheap Russian oil and gas', which that claim is fuelling Putin's effort in the conflict with Russia. It called for the imposition of tariffs as high as 500 per cent on any country that helps Russia. (ANI)