Foreign ministers of India, Ukraine discuss ongoing crisis

New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Friday discussed the prevailing situation in the east European country which is under attack from Russia, along with the measures to evacuate stranded Indian nationals from there.

"Received call from Ukrainian FM @DmytroKuleba. He shared his assessment of the current situation. I emphasised that India supports diplomacy and dialogue as the way out," Jaishankar tweeted.

The minister also stated that they discussed the predicament of Indian nationals, including students.

"Appreciate his support for their safe return," Jaishankar said.

Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, spoke to Jaishankar and called for collective response over the ongoing crisis.

Blinken tweeted, "Spoke with @DrSJaishankar today about the crisis in Ukraine and the importance of a strong collective response to Russian aggression. Russia's attack on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is a clear violation of the rules-based international order."

The spokesperson for the US Secretary of State, Ned Price, said, "Antony Blinken spoke with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar today to discuss Russia's premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine."

Price also stated that Blinken stressed the importance of a strong, collective response to condemn Russia's invasion and call for immediate force withdrawal and ceasefire.

On Thursday, India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had stated that Jaishankar has spoken to concerned officials in Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia for setting up camps on the border areas for evacuation of stranded Indian nationals.

India is working out evacuation plans through Romania, Hungary and Poland, after Ukraine shut its airspace soon after the Russian military operation began on Thursday.