Foreign ministers of India, Ukraine discuss ongoing crisis
Darpan News Desk IANS, 25 Feb, 2022 02:21 PM
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.
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) on Monday decided to ban the entry of foreigners, who have not completed their 15-day stay in India, to all Delhi gurdwaras with immediate effect to check the transmission of coronavirus, said Manjinder Singh Sirsa, DSGMC president.
Pointing out that most people in Punjab came from Pakistan, Amarinder Singh asked if the Centre expected them to go to Pakistan to look for proof of birth.
A 25-year-old model from Assam who had come to Kanpur to perform at a function, was allegedly raped by former director of a prominent club in the presence of his five aides here, the police said on Tuesday. Four of the accused have been arrested, while the main accused is still on the run.
