'Urges PM Modi to reach out...' Ukraine FM's appeal amid Russia invasion
By Team Newsable | First Published Mar 6, 2022, 9:43 AM ISTAccording to Kuleba, Russia attempts to "win the sympathy" of countries with foreign nationals in Ukraine. He stated that if Russia stops "manipulating" the issue of foreign students, they will all be evacuated safely. "I urge the governments of India, China, and Nigeria to urge Russia to halt the fire and allow civilians to flee," he said.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the governments of several countries, including India, on Saturday to urge Russia to end the conflict and to impose new sanctions. In a televised speech, he accused Russia of violating ceasefire agreements and recommended it to halt violence in Ukraine so that citizens and international students could flee.
According to Kuleba, Russia attempts to "win the sympathy" of countries with foreign nationals in Ukraine. He stated that if Russia stops "manipulating" the issue of foreign students, they will all be evacuated safely. "I urge the governments of India, China, and Nigeria to urge Russia to halt the fire and allow civilians to flee," he said.
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"For the past 30 years, Ukraine has been a welcoming home for thousands of students from Africa, Asia, and Europe. Ukraine organised trains, set up hotlines, and worked with embassies to facilitate the movement of their (foreign students). The Ukrainian government is doing everything possible to help," he stated.
The foreign minister also urged countries with special relations with Russia to tell President Vladimir Putin that "this war is in the interests of all." Kuleba added: "India is a major consumer of Ukrainian agricultural products, and if the war continues, we will struggle to plant new crops. So, even in terms of global and Indian food security, ending this war is in everyone's best interests."
He defended Ukraine's retaliation, saying the country is fighting because it was attacked "and we have to defend our land because Putin does not recognise our right to exist." He called on Indian nationals to put pressure on Russia to end the war.
Meanwhile, India "strongly pressed" the Russian and Ukrainian governments on Saturday through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire in Sumy to ensure the safe passage of around 700 Indian students trapped there, as it focuses on their evacuation from the war-torn city in eastern Ukraine. According to Arindam Bagchi, a spokesperson for the External Affairs Ministry, India's primary focus is on evacuating students from Sumy. The safe exit of Indians from Kharkiv and Pisochyn is nearly complete.
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