Stressing the need to immediately end the war and violence in view of humanitarian crises assuming alarming proportions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and urged him to hold direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the conversation which lasted for 50 minutes, PM Modi also underlined the need and the importance of the safe evacuation of Indian citizens from Ukraine’s Sumy city at the earliest.
Sources told The Daily Guardian that Putin assured PM Modi of all possible steps to be taken by his government to ensure that every single Indian is evacuated safely from the war-hit zone of Ukraine. Significantly, PM Modi spoke to Putin for the third time since the conflict in Ukraine began last month.
Sources at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that PM Modi’s frequent conversations with Putin is a clear message to the US and western countries that India is active and making all possible efforts to ensure that the war comes to an end immediately. “No other world leader is in touch with the Presidents of the warring countries, but PM Modi is regularly talking to them in an effort to ensure not only the safe evacuation of Indians from Ukraine, but the end of war as well,” sources said. Sources further said that PM Modi told Putin that in addition to the ongoing negotiation between the delegates of Russia and Ukraine, both the Presidents should sit together and resolve the problem at the earliest. President Putin briefed PM Modi on the status of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian teams. According to sources, the PM appreciated the announcement of ceasefire and establishment of humanitarian corridors in parts of Ukraine, including Sumy.
PM Modi also spoke with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, and discussed with him the issue of evacuation of Indians from the conflict-torn region. PM Modi sought the Ukrainian President’s support in evacuating Indians stuck in Ukraine’s Sumy city amid the Russian invasion.
As a result of Indian diplomacy, Russian authorities said they would begin a ceasefire on Monday and open “humanitarian corridors” in key Ukrainian cities, including its capital Kyiv, Kharkiv and Sumy. The MEA in a statement said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on phone on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine.” “President Putin briefed Prime Minister Modi on the status of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian teams. Prime Minister Modi welcomed the ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and expressed hope that they would lead to cessation of the conflict. He suggested that a direct conversation between President Putin and President Zelenskyy may greatly assist the ongoing peace efforts.”
According to the MEA, Prime Minister Modi conveyed his deep concern for the safety and security of Indian students still remaining in Sumy. President Putin briefed the Prime Minister about the ongoing measures related to humanitarian corridors for facilitating evacuation of civilians including Indian students.
Another press statement by MEA said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke earlier today with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. PM Modi welcomed the ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and expressed hope that they would lead to cessation of the conflict. He suggested that a direct conversation between President Putin and President Zelenskyy may greatly assist the ongoing peace efforts.”
MEA further said that President Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the conflict situation and the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. The Prime Minister expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis. Prime Minister reiterated his call for immediate cessation of violence and noted that India has always stood for peaceful resolution of issues and direct dialogue between the two parties.
The Prime Minister thanked Ukrainian authorities for their facilitation in evacuating more than 20,000 Indian citizens from Ukraine. He expressed deep concern for the safety and security of Indian students still remaining in Ukraine and emphasized the need for their quick and safe evacuation.
Meanwhile, a report from Budapest, Hungary, said Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who is in Hungary to oversee the evacuation process of stranded Indian nationals due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, said that four buses with a capacity of 50 each are on their way to Poltava in order to bring back Indian students stranded in Ukraine’s Sumy. Puri said, “I am talking to the control room in Delhi. As many as four buses with a capacity of 50 each are on their way to Poltava to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Sumy. Other logistical arrangements such as food have also been arranged. Depending on the situation, further plans will be chalked out from Poltava. As of now, all the arrangements are in place.” He further said, “As of tonight, we would have taken out somewhere around 6,200 students from Hungary. Generally, the evacuation process in Kharkiv or Pisochyn or the ongoing process in Sumy, the Government of India’s commitment and putting all its resources down to that purpose that is total and there is no doubt. When you are doing an evacuation process out of a war zone, there are constraints that you cannot anticipate and the parties to the conflict even if you use your margin of diplomacy they have objectives that may not synchronise with your evacuation objective. I will be happy if we complete this evacuation process within the next two or three days.”
Earlier in the day, he had said, “I think after the 5 flights today the figure will be close to 6,200 but you can never be absolutely precise because some people who came to Hungary registered others we have to issue an advisory that last flight is going out. Approximately 5,200 Indian nationals were returned home country yesterday. Today around 889 are returning to their home country. We are operating the last leg of Operation Ganga flights today.”
(WITH AGENCY INPUTS)