New Delhi:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke today with his excellency President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. Modi’s talk with Zelenskyy comes when India’s all out efforts to evacuate its nationals, mostly students, from the country facing an attack from Russia.

PM Modi also spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and conveyed to him the importance of the safe evacuation of Indian citizens from war-torn Ukraine’s Sumy at the earliest. 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops.

After an all-out war broke out between Russia and Ukraine on February 24, first time PM Modi spoke to Zelensky on February 26 and this is the second time Modi spoke with Zelenskyy since the war began.

Modi’s interaction with the two leaders comes amid India’s all out efforts to evacuate its nationals, mostly students, from Ukraine, facing attack from Russia. 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 Modi 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.

PM Modi thanked Ukrainian authorities for their facilitation in evacuating more than 20000 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.  

Since the war broke out, PM Modi has held a series of meetings with high-level officials and under Operation Ganga more than 15000 Indian students have been evacuated from Ukraine.