PM Modi to speak with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, Russia’s Putin
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be holding telephonic conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, as per the government sources.
Modi’s call with the leaders of the warring nations, Ukraine and Russia, comes amid India’s efforts to evacuate Indian nationals from the war-torn cities.
This is the second time the Prime Minister will interact with Zelenskyy ever since the invasion began. Hours after India had abstained to vote on a US-sponsored UN Security Council resolution that deplored Russia’s actions on February 26, Zelenskyy had called upon Modi for his political support. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi had expressed “deep anguish” over the loss of life and property, reiterated his call for “immediate cessation of violence”.
Modi has also held talks with Putin regarding the invasion and the safe evacuation of the Indian nationals. He had urged Putin to end the violence shortly after the invasion began, and called for “concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue”. On another phone call on March 2, Modi had discussed the evacuation of Indian students, especially from Kharkiv. According to a readout of the conversation between the two leaders, the Kremlin had claimed that Indian students in Kharkiv had been “taken hostage” by Ukrainian security forces who were using them as “a human shield” to “prevent them from leaving for Russian territory”. However, officials in New Delhi have said that they have no reports of a hostage situation.
The calls on Monday come as Russian troops continue to push into Ukrainian territory. The evacuation of Indian nationals also remains a priority as around 700 Indians, mainly students, are stranded in the northeastern city of Ukraine, Sumy, among others. Russians have announced a ceasefire to allow the opening of humanitarian corridors in Sumy.
On Sunday evening, Zelenskyy appealed to the West to strengthen its sanctions. He also criticised the Western leaders for not responding to the Russian Defense Ministry’s announcement that it would strike Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, news agency AP reported.
— with inputs from PTI
