Smt. Smriti Irani attended the 47th Annual General Meeting of the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library Society today at PM Sangrahalaya, chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji.

The Prime Ministers’ Museum stands as a testament to India’s democratic journey, honouring the life, leadership, and legacy of every Prime Minister who has shaped the nation's destiny.

More than a repository of records, PM Sangrahalaya is a living tribute to India’s evolving aspirations, bringing alive the story of a nation that has grown through the vision of its leaders and the will of its people.

In chronicling the political imagination and institutional contributions of successive Prime Ministers, the Museum serves as an enduring space of reflection for citizens, scholars, and statesmen alike.

Saying 'All of Ukraine Is Ours,' Putin Does Not Rule Out Taking City of Sumy

President Vladimir Putin said Friday he did not "rule out" his forces taking control of Ukraine's northeastern city of Sumy as part of efforts to create a buffer zone along the border.

"We have no objective to take Sumy, but in principle I do not rule it out... They pose a constant threat to us, constantly shelling the border areas," Putin told Russia's flagship economic forum in St. Petersburg.

Sumy is around 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border and has been heavily targeted since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.

In a string of hawkish remarks, Putin appeared to repeat his denial of Ukrainian statehood.

"I consider Russians and Ukrainians to be one people. In that sense, all of Ukraine is ours," he said.

"There is a saying: wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that is ours."

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The comments raise fresh doubt over the prospect of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.

Russia has for months been rejecting calls for an unconditional ceasefire, and has demanded Ukraine give up even more territory as a precondition.

Ukraine launched a counter-attack into Russia's western Kursk region last August from its northeastern Sumy region.

Kyiv's troops captured dozens of border settlements, which they held for months, before being pushed out by Russia's forces — with the help of thousands of North Korean soldiers — earlier this year.

Putin has since ordered his troops to create what he called a "buffer zone" along the Russian border inside Ukrainian territory.

Russia's army has taken a number of border settlements in the Sumy region in recent weeks.

Putin said Friday his troops were up to 12 kilometers inside Ukrainian territory in the region, which is not one of the five Ukrainian regions that Moscow claims to have formally annexed.

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Between Two Fires: Kremlin's Loss of Leverage Exposed By Israel-Iran Conflict
Powerless to influence the conflict, Russia nonetheless hopes it will be able to win Trump's favor.

The Kremlin is struggling to respond to the Israel-Iran conflict after it failed to anticipate the outbreak of hostilities, leaving it powerless to support a key ally, four sources in Russia’s foreign policy establishment told The Moscow Times.

Though it maintains ties with both countries, the Kremlin, bogged down in its own war in Ukraine, had not expected Israel to take such a bold and dangerous step — one that has raised questions about the survival of Tehran’s ruling regime, the sources said.

Nor did it expect that U.S. President Donald Trump, who has branded himself a “peacemaker,” would bow to pressure from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to intervene.

The Moscow Times spoke to individuals in the Russian government and close to the Kremlin for this story. All of them spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic.

Israel launched a wave of air strikes on its arch-rival Iran’s infrastructure, including anti-missile sites and nuclear production infrastructure, over Tehran’s alleged moves toward building a nuclear weapon. The ensuing air war between the two countries, now entering its second week, has killed hundreds of people, including senior members of Iran’s military leadership and civilians.

“We believed in Trump’s unconventional behavior and his desire to preserve his image as a peacemaker,” said a retired high-ranking Kremlin official familiar with Russia’s foreign policy thinking. “We expected he might go for temporary arrangements that would allow Iran to save face without a complete ban on uranium enrichment. And that he would try to prevent an Israeli attack.”

A former Russian diplomat disagreed, criticizing what he saw as the Kremlin’s misreading of the regional dynamic.

“Israel successively dismantled hostile forces in neighboring countries, then the regime in Damascus fell and they [Israel] took the Golan Heights. It was clear Iran was next,” the former diplomat said.


Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. kremlin.ru
Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.kremlin.ru
The Kremlin assessed that Iran was in a relatively stable position based on Trump’s apparent openness to compromise and Tehran’s flexibility in recent negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, according to a government official familiar with internal discussions.

“[Iran was] willing to discuss not a halt, but a reduction in uranium enrichment,” the official said.

Analysts from Russia’s Valdai Discussion Club, which is close to the Foreign Ministry, had identified potential risks including Iran’s withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, followed by more sanctions.

But they regarded a direct Israeli military strike, let alone a regime change in Iran, as highly unlikely, The Moscow Times understands.

“That scenario was assigned a very low probability,” a senior Valdai official said.

Instead, events unfolded in the most dramatic and damaging way possible for both Tehran and Moscow.

“Our forecasts clearly didn’t pan out. Though the situation might still be stabilized,” the retired Kremlin official added.

Although Russia would like to support its embattled ally, it lacks the leverage to act alone, two sources close to the Kremlin’s foreign policy team and the Foreign Ministry said.

“We’ve made considerable diplomatic efforts to bring Israel and Iran back to the negotiating table,” a Russian diplomat said. “But they’ve all failed.”

Muted response
Moscow has not issued urgent calls for negotiations in the week since Israel launched its military operation against Iran.

Though Foreign Ministry released a statement critical of the offensive, it stopped short of signaling that Russia would take any further action.

Most telling was President Vladimir Putin’s silence, mirroring his muted response during the sudden ouster of Iran and Russia’s mutual ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria in December 2024.

Despite signing a strategic partnership agreement with Iran just two months ago, and despite Tehran supplying drones to Russia during the invasion of Ukraine, Putin refrained from commenting for several days.

This silence comes even as Moscow and Tehran have expanded their economic cooperation through projects like the North-South Transport Corridor and Russia’s construction of a nuclear power plant in Bushehr, with more projects in the pipeline.

Between Two Fires: Kremlin's Loss of Leverage Exposed By Israel-Iran Conflict - The Moscow Times

I learned about Trump’s unconstitutional attack on Iran at a large rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Here is the response:

BREAKING — North Korea is Willing to Provide Nuclear Weapons to Iran in Order to Secure Lasting Peace.

Trump calls Iran the “bully of the Middle East…”

Israel has bombed 5 countries and invaded 3 in the past two years alone.

But IRAN is the bully…

This man is a pathetic fraud.

Trump: "We achieved great success tonight. Israel is now much safer."

Reality: Israel is now burning after a heavy missile attack from Iran.

Trump will be responsible for World War III if it starts.

#WorldWar3 #Iran #IsraelIranWar #USAirForce #MiddleEast