Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the situation in Kiev.
"Spoke with Indian PM @narendramodi. Informed about the process of repulsing Russian aggression by Ukraine. There are more than one lakh invaders on our land. They fire indiscriminately on residential buildings.
Urged India to give us political support in the UN Security Council. Stop the attacker together,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter.
The phone call comes at a time when Russia has stepped up its attack on Ukraine, which is seeking help from Western countries.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, "President Zelensky briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict situation in Ukraine.
“The Prime Minister expressed his deep anguish about the loss of life and property due to the ongoing conflict. He reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of violence and a return to dialogue and expressed India's willingness to contribute in any way to the peace efforts. ,
"The Prime Minister also conveyed India's deep concern for the safety of Indian nationals, including students, present in Ukraine. He sought facilitation by the Ukrainian authorities for the speedy and safe evacuation of Indian nationals," the statement said.
PM Modi's phone call with Russian President Putin
PM Modi had already spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who in a phone call on Thursday briefed him about the developments in Ukraine.
According to a press statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), President Putin briefed PM Modi about the recent developments regarding Ukraine.
"The Prime Minister reiterated his longstanding conviction that differences between Russia and the NATO grouping can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue. The Prime Minister called for an immediate end to the violence, and diplomatic negotiations. and called on all parties to make concerted efforts to return to the path of dialogue,” the statement said.
It further said, "The Prime Minister also conveyed to the Russian President India's concerns regarding the safety of Indian citizens, especially students, in Ukraine and that India accords top priority to their safe exit and return to India. The leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would maintain regular contact on issues of topical interest.