Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Russian President Vladimir Putin for a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Dec 6, 2021
Highlights
- PM Modi and President Putin discuss evolving situation in Ukraine over phone: Govt sources
- Putin briefs PM Modi on status of negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian teams
- It was third telephonic conversation between the two leaders after military conflict began on Feb 24
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, government sources told PTI. The phone call between the two leaders lasted for about 50 minutes during which PM Modi stressed on the safe evacuation of Indians from Ukraine's Sumy region.
Sources said that they discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine. President Putin briefed PM Modi on the status of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian teams, sources added.
PM Modi urged President Putin to hold direct talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky in addition to the ongoing negotiations between their teams. PM Modi appreciated the announcement of the ceasefire and establishment of humanitarian corridors in parts of Ukraine, including Sumy, sources said.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of the safe evacuation of Indian citizens from Sumy at the earliest. President Putin assured Prime Minister Modi of all possible cooperation in their safe evacuation. It was the third telephonic conversation between the two leaders after the military conflict began in Ukraine 11 days back.
Earlier today, PM Modi spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and sought his support for the evacuation of Indians stuck in northeastern Ukraine's Sumy city, while reiterating his call for an immediate cessation of violence to defuse the ongoing conflict in the eastern European nation.
Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops and India has been urging both sides to create a "humanitarian corridor" for their safe evacuation.
In his nearly 35-minute phone conversation with Zelenskyy, PM Modi sought continued support from the government of Ukraine in ongoing efforts for evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy, official sources said.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Modi expressed "deep concern for safety and security of Indian students still in Ukraine and emphasised the need for their quick and safe evacuation". The Modi-Zelenskyy talks, the second between the two in the last nine days.
READ MORE: PM Modi speaks with Ukraine Prez Zelensky, seeks help in evacuation of students from Sumy
